Julianna Peña’s relentless lobbying for a title shot against Amanda Nunes has Dana White on the verge of breaking mentally and executively.
Julianna Peña has been on a cross-country media tour telling anybody who will listen why she should be the next opponent for UFC double-champion Amanda Nunes. One of those people happens to be the person who matters most: UFC President Dana White. “The Venezuelan Vixen” has stuck to the same script in her private talks with White as she has in her talking points in recent interviews:
- Nunes Ducking
- Horrible Stylistic Matchup
- Very Much Deserving
But here is Dana White putting the above points into his own summary in a recent interview with TMZ Sports:
“So Julianna Pena has been driving me fuckin’ bananas, will not stop terrorizing me that she deserves this fight, Amanda Nunes this, Amanda Nunes that, Amanda’s ducking her, Amanda doesn’t want her because the style doesn’t match up well for Amanda. So I’m thinking about doing Pena & Nunes,” White said.
Julianna Peña is currently ranked #6 in the women’s bantamweight division, but with Nunes already dispatching of so many other fighters in the rankings, new opponents for the Lioness are in short supply. Peña was initially booked to fight Holly Holm in a fight that very well could have been a title eliminator for both women but particularly for Peña who has never faced Nunes before. Unfortunately, Holm had to withdraw from the bout due to kidney swelling. There’s little doubt this pull-out that was beyond Peña’s control was part of her argument to White for why he should choose her to face Nunes next.
Amanda Nunes has not defended the bantamweight championship since December, 2019. To keep the top of the division moving, the UFC may have to act fast, which is why Peña’s fast-talking magic may be outpacing the UFC’s decision-making process, potentially prompting them to let her take the lead on their matchmaking selection for Amanda Nunes.
How would you feel if Amanda Nunes vs Julianna Peña for the bantamweight title was made official?
