Julianna Peña has wrapped up her COVID-19 investigation.
During her recent appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Julianna Peña opened up on a wide range of issues, and she even brushed up on her informal career as an investigative reporter.
MMA News covered Peña’s initial dabbling into the journalism field when she was hot on the case of Amanda Nunes’ UFC 265 pull-out. She ultimately concluded that Nunes pulled out because she was ill-prepared for the original fight date of August 7, 2020. In fact, throughout the course of her investigation, Peña determined that Nunes was more than likely never stricken with the coronavirus at all, despite that being the reported reason for her withdrawal.
This would not be the end of Peña’s remarks connected to COVID-19. Peña would revert to her investigative ways on the JRE where she addressed many subjects and theories pertaining to the pandemic.
On Mask Efficacy
“For me, I don’t put on a mask unless somebody asks me. I’m like, “That’s over. Come on,” Peña said.
When asked what kind of mask she was referring to, she replied, “Gas masks. I don’t know. I’m sick of this. I’m seriously so sick of it.”
Peña would later point to a specific demonstration that she feels debunks the protection efficacy of masks.
“Have you seen that guy where he takes a pool from a vape pen on the outside and then just like clouds and plumes of smoke coming out? It’s like, what is it really protecting?”
On Her Experience With COVID-19
“Fine,” Peña said of her bout with the virus. “I mean, I had the chills. It started with the headache, and I had a massive headache for two days. I couldn’t understand what was going on…and I had the chills day three. It was freezing. I had sweatpants on, everything, and three blankets, and I was still shivering cold. I think day four or five, I lost taste and smell, and then I had a very mild cough, and then it was gone.”
Exposing The COVID-19 “Conspiracy”
“I’m a massive conspiracy theorist on this whole thing, and I have been since the very beginning. I’m like, ‘This is just a money grab. They’re trying to kill us, and this is ridiculous.”
After Rogan was taken aback by these remarks, Peña would swiftly present her supporting evidence.
“Well, remember [Dr. Peter] McCullough said that there’s a specific plant that’s growing somewhere and then one day they were all burned, gone. He said that there was like a field of this medicine somewhere else and then when they went to go back for it, it was all burned down.”
Well, at this point, I don’t even think it’s a conspiracy anymore with all the other stuff that’s happening. It’s like, no, this is reality.
Conclusions
After receiving backlash for her conspiracy theory, Peña took the time to clarify and apologize for her remarks during a recent media scrum, thus bringing a close to her COVID-19 investigation.
“My words were a little bit misconstrued,” Peña said. “I am tired. I am exhausted. We are going on this pandemic two years, going on three years now. I just want things to go back to normal. I realize that they probably won’t. I didn’t mean to come across as insensitive, especially for the fact that I had COVID. Everybody that I know had COVID. I lost my aunt in Venezuela. I lost many people that were near and dear to me. It absolutely is real.
“I’m just angry, and frustrated, and exhausted over the whole situation because I just am wanting things to go back to normal. And so if I offended anybody by my comments on COVID, please, I would like to apologize. That was not, by any means, what I meant to say. I just meant to say that I’m frustrated with the way that the world is right now.”
Peña’s stint as a rogue investigative reporter may be off to a rocky start yet, but her career as a professional cage fighter is going quite swimmingly. “The Venezuelan Vixen” sits as your reigning, defending UFC women’s bantamweight champion after pulling off arguably the biggest win of 2021 when she unseated Amanda Nunes from the throne at UFC 269.
A rematch between the two is set for later this year at the conclusion of TUF 30, a season where both women will serve as head coaches.