Should she become a two-time UFC women's bantamweight champion, Julianna Peña plans to settle some unfinished business.
Peña hasn't competed in almost two years, having not made the walk since losing the 135-pound strap in a rematch with Amanda Nunes at UFC 277 in Dallas, Texas, back in the summer of 2022.
The result brought "The Venezuelan Vixen's" reign to a sudden halt six months on from her memorable and shocking submission of the "Lioness."
While the pair were set to complete their trilogy last June in Canada, an injury suffered by Peña in training forced her out. In her place stepped Irene Aldana on short notice, and after outpointing the Mexican at UFC 289, Nunes laid down her two belts and announced her retirement.
A bemused Peña booed from cageside and has since expressed confidence that the Brazilian hasn't permanently hung up the gloves. And she expects to prove as much by drawing Nunes back to the cage after bringing Raquel Pennington's divisional rule to a close later this year...
During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Peña looked ahead to her long-awaited return to action and revealed what she hopes will follow a planned second title crowning.
While two-time Olympic gold medalist and former PFL champ Kayla Harrison made a splash in her Octagon debut by getting the better of Holly Holm, "The Venezuelan Vixen" has other plans when it comes to her first defense should she unseat Pennington.
I still feel like the spidey senses and all that, that she (Nunes) will come back, and it's just a matter of time before she does," Peña said. "I don't want to put the cart before the horse. I want to fight Raquel, I want my belt back, I'm getting my belt back. After that, I will absolutely be calling out Amanda, and I believe that she absolutely will come back because it's too big of a fight for her.
Of course, (I'll call out Nunes, not Harrison). That's like if I win the belt, I should also call out Ronda (Rousey), you know what I mean? Ronda has been escaping these fights with me for years. ... Those are fights that I want. I want big fights, I want big money fights," Peña continued, before being asked if she sees the Nunes trilogy as bigger than a Harrison bout. "Absolutely. We're 1-1, unfinished business. ... This would be the biggest trilogy in women's combat sports.
Harrison took note of those remarks and others that saw Peña accuse her of past PED use during the conversation with Helwani, responding with a fiery message toward "The Venezuelan Vixen" on social media.
Loading tweet...
While the stage has long been set for a rivalry between Peña and Harrison even before the latter's UFC signing, it would appear that the former bantamweight queen has no immediate plans to settle it inside the Octagon.
Log in to post a comment.
