[autotag]Julianna Pena[/autotag] is done with hearing “one more” from UFC double champion [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag] and thinks the time has finally come for her first crack at gold.
Due to the way things have played out, Pena (10-4 MMA, 6-2 UFC) thinks Nunes (21-4 MMA, 14-1 UFC) can’t deny her a matchup much longer. Nunes defeated Megan Anderson by first-round submission Saturday at UFC 259 and was swiftly called out by Pena, who currently sits at No. 5 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie women’s bantamweight rankings.
Many of the competitors in front of Pena already had their cracks at gold or are in the midst of circumstances that would disqualify them from a shot. Germaine de Randamie and Holly Holm both lost to Nunes in the past. Irene Aldana is hurt and coming off a loss.
That leaves Aspen Ladd, Yana Kunitskaya, and Pena as fresh challenges for the champion. Pena is adamant she is the best and most realistic option of the three names. Styles make fights, and Pena believes her skill set is a good foil for that of the current champion.
“I’m 9-2 in the UFC, and Amanda has one more victory than I do,” Pena told MMA Junkie on Monday. “I’ve been fighting in this UFC division just as long as she has. … I feel like stylistically, I’m the worst possible matchup for her. I’m her kryptonite. I do believe that she knows that because every time I fight, she always says, ‘One more, and you’ve got to fight one more, and you’ve got to fight one more.’ It’s like, you didn’t make Felicia Spencer fight one more. You didn’t make Megan Anderson fight one more. You didn’t make Holly fight one more, but for some reason, I’ve got to fight one more.
“There is really no one else. She’s actually cleaned out the division? She hasn’t fought me. She hasn’t fought a fighter like me. I definitely think that it’s very clear that she doesn’t want to fight me. Stylistically, I’m the worst possible matchup for her.”
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Pena accused Nunes of avoiding fights against her since 2017. Over time, “The Venezuelan Vixen” has built the opinion the champion is purposely and intentionally dodging the opportunity.
“She’s going to say whatever she can to continue to skate by and hold onto her belt as long as possible,” Pena said. “She doesn’t want to fight me. I won seven a row, and she didn’t want to fight me. … She fought Miesha (Tate) and won the belt, and ever since then she’s been fighting nothing but strikers. That’s not for any other reason other than the fact she doesn’t want to fight somebody that can actually threaten her and put her in a threatening position to where she could lose the belt. She knows that person is me.”
With UFC president Dana White voicing his consideration of the matchup being next, Pena thinks she’s the most likely next challenger. Women’s featherweight might be largely barren, but Pena says 135 pounds has at least one viable contender left. To Pena, a winner of two of her most recent three outings, she wants her first UFC title shot to happen May 8.
“She’s ready to go, I’m ready to go,” Pena said. “I don’t see why we couldn’t fight each other next, albeit next there’s pretty much no one else I can think of that has made themselves available for her to fight. I definitely think it’s my turn. It’s my time, and I don’t see why we shouldn’t be fighting next on May 8.”
Mother’s Day is May 9. Both Nunes and Pena have daughters, so a May 8 showdown would make sense to Pena. Perhaps given the motherly circumstances and the title on the line, the fight could be a headliner for a UFC on ABC show, she proposed.
“I definitely think that it’s great that we’re both moms,” Pena said. “That’s why I think that on Mother’s Day would be a perfect time for all of this to happen. There’s no better time than live on ABC on Mother’s Day.”
To see the full interview with Pena, check out the video below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZlmGkv7ZH8
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