Tag: Julianna Pena

Amanda Nunes says she’s down for return from retirement for Julianna Peña-Kayla Harrison winner

Former two-division UFC women’s champion Amanda Nunes on Friday said she’s planning a return from retirement.

MIAMI – Former two-division UFC women’s champion [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag] on Friday, in the form of an assertive and repeated head nod, said she’s planning a return from retirement.

Nunes was in a VIP seat at Kaseya Center for the UFC 314 ceremonial weigh-ins ahead of Saturday’s card in Miami. Conveniently for the South Florida resident and ex-champ, the prelude to the weigh-ins was a ticket on-sale news conference for UFC 316 later this year in New Jersey.

At that event, women’s bantamweight champion [autotag]Julianna Peña[/autotag] (13-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) will take on challenger [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] (18-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC), a two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo and a two-time PFL $1 million season winner. Harris is nearly a 6-1 betting favorite in the fight, nearly unheard of for a challenger. It will be just her third fight in the UFC.

Peña beat Nunes to become champion in an upset in December 2021. She lost it in a rematch the next year. Then, after more than two years on the sidelines, and after Nunes retired in 2023, Nunes returned and beat Raquel Pennington to win the title back. That fight was a split decision that 96 percent of media members tracked by MMA Decisions scored for Pennington.

She has asked for a trilogy fight with Nunes – and Friday said Nunes’ return hinges on who wins between her and Harrison on Saturday.

But when UFC CEO Dana White was asked if he would be open to Nunes coming out of retirement later this year to fight the winner, he didn’t need to answer. Nunes was shown on camera quickly nodding her head that she would unretire to fight again.

White recently said he thinks Nunes retired too early.

Peña and Harrison fight June 7 in the UFC 316 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) co-main event at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Nunes retired in mid-2023 not long after she beat Irene Aldana in a bantamweight title fight. The 135-pound belt was filled, but her featherweight title remains in limbo. The UFC has held very few women’s fights at 145 pounds, and no plans for a new champion ever have been made.

Harrison fought at featherweight in the PFL and only first made the cut to bantamweight when she came to the UFC. If she beats Peña to win the title and Nunes comes out of retirement, she technically still would be featherweight champ – meaning a meeting between the two could kick off a lengthy two-division rivalry and reignite things at women’s featherweight for the UFC.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 316.

UFC 316 video: Julianna Peña vs. Kayla Harrison heated first title fight faceoff

After trading words at the UFC 316 press conference, Julianna Peña and Kayla Harrison had an intense first title fight staredown.

MIAMI – There was no shortage of intensity when [autotag]Julianna Peña[/autotag] and [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] got in front of each other for the first time ahead of their UFC 316 title fight.

Peña (11-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) will attempt to make the first defense in her second reign as women’s bantamweight champion when she takes on two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time PFL champion Harrison (18-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) in the co-main event of the June 7 card at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN/Disney+, ESPN+).

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Both women launched strong words and insults at each other when the microphones were hot at Friday’s UFC 316 on-sale press conference. The disdain between them was even more clear when they stood inches from each other for the staredown afterward.

Check out the video above to see the Peña vs. Harrison faceoff from the UFC 316 press conference.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 316.

Video replay: ‘UFC 316: Dvalishvili vs. O’Malley 2’ press conference

UFC 316 title fight athletes Merab Dvalishvili, Sean O’Malley, Julianna Peña and Kayla Harrison will attend a Friday press conference.

MIAMI – The first UFC 316 press conference takes place Friday, and you can watch a live stream of the event in the video above. The press conference takes place at Kaseya Center.

In advance of the event, which takes place June 7 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN/Disney+, ESPN+), the title fight athletes of [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] (19-4 MMA, 12-2 UFC) and [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] (18-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC), who rematch for bantamweight gold, and [autotag]Julianna Peña[/autotag] (11-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) vs. [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] (18-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC), who meet for the women’s bantamweight strap, will answer questions from reporters.

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Here’s what you need to know about the UFC 316 press conference.

What time does the UFC 316 press conference start?

The UFC 313 press conference starts at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.

Who’s taking part in the UFC 316 press conference?

The four title fight competitors are slated participate in the UFC 316 press conference: Dvalishvili, O’Malley, Peña and Harrison.

It’s unclear if UFC CEO Dana White will oversee the UFC 316 pre-fight press conference.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 316.

Kayla Harrison wants to respect Julianna Peña, ‘but she’s pretty dumb sometimes’

Kayla Harrison appreciates UFC bantamweight champion Julianna Peña’s journey – even if she has a hard time doing it sometimes.

[autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] appreciates UFC bantamweight champion [autotag]Julianna Peña[/autotag]’s journey – even if she struggles to sometimes.

Harrison (18-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) challenges Peña (11-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) in the UFC 316 co-main event June 7 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Two-time Olympic gold medalist judoka and two-time PFL champion Harrison has opened up as a massive favorite over Peña, but does she see “The Venezuelan Vixen” as her toughest test to date?

“We’ll see, we’ll find out. I mean, there’s always that little bit of unknown when you fight a new opponent,” Harrison said on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “So, skill-wise, I don’t think she’s the top of the top, but I think in terms of heart and maybe experience, she’s got some good experience, and she’s definitely got confidence. I would argue cockiness, maybe.”

Peña’s confidence comes from being a two-time UFC bantamweight champion, with one of her title wins coming in a big underdog finish over former dual-champ Amanda Nunes. Harrison admires Peña for becoming the first mom-champ in the UFC, but admits she has mixed feelings about her.

“I want to have a lot of respect for Julianna because she’s a single mom, she’s a veteran of the sport, she scratched and clawed her way to the top, she believed in herself when nobody believed in her,” Harrison said. “I really want to have admiration for her, and I think probably deep down, I do.

“And I love that she’s confident and she says what she thinks, but she’s just pretty dumb sometimes. So, it’s hard. It’s difficult. Just some of the stuff, cheesy, very cringe. She reminds me a lot of Henry (Cejudo). Trying too hard.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 316.

Julianna Peña vs. Kayla Harrison: Odds and what to know ahead of UFC 316 co-main event

Kayla Harrison is a massive betting favorite in her first UFC title fight against Julianna Peña.

Women’s bantamweight champion [autotag]Julianna Peña[/autotag] faces a stern test at UFC 316.

Julianna Peña vs. Kayla Harrison preview

Peña (11-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) claimed the bantamweight title for a second time when she defeated Raquel Pennington by split decision at UFC 307 this past October. “The Venezuelan Vixen” is owner of one of the biggest upset wins in octagon history when she submitted former dual champion Amanda Nunes in their title fight at UFC 269.

Two-time PFL champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist judoka [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] (18-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) earned her shot at a UFC title after a submission of former champion Holly Holm and a decision win over Ketlen Vieira at UFC 307.

Julianna Peña vs. Kayla Harrison odds

According to FanDuel, Harrison is a huge -590 favorite to dethrone bantamweight champion Peña, who’s a +370 underdog.

How to watch Julianna Peña vs. Kayla Harrison at UFC 316

  • When: Saturday, June 7, 2025
  • Where: Prudential Center, Newark, N.J.
  • Broadcast/streaming: ESPN+ pay-per-view

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 316.

Spinning Back Clique REPLAY: UFC 314 preview, Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O’Malley 2, PFL review, more

On the latest episode of “Spinning Back Clique,” the panel previews UFC 314, reacts to Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O’Malley 2, and more.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week’s panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Dan Tom and Danny Segura will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate the following topics:

  • UFC on ESPN 65 was host of a big win at 145 pounds. In the main event, [autotag]Lerone Murphy[/autotag] defeated [autotag]Josh Emmett[/autotag] in a unanimous decision. We discuss Murphy’s big win, where he goes next, plus other key bouts from the Las Vegas card.
  • The PFL hosted its first event of the season in Olando, Fla. We review and dissect 2025 PFL World Tournament 1, and the new changes the promotion implemented starting this year. We also discuss the results from the card, including [autotag]Jason Jackson[/autotag]’s nasty submission win over [autotag]Andrey Koreshkov[/autotag]
  • There were some big fight bookings announced this past week. For starters, UFC CEO Dana White announced the two title fights that will be headlining UFC 316 – [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] 2, and [autotag]Julianna Peña[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag]. Additionally, [autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] returns to fight [autotag]Carlos Prates[/autotag], and flyweight contenders [autotag]Manel Kape[/autotag] and [autotag]Brandon Royval[/autotag] ink another contract to fight each other. We break down and give early predictions for these big bookings.
  • Lastly, we end the show with a preview for Saturday’s UFC 314. This stacked pay-per-view, which goes down in Miami, hosts a title fight for the vacant featherweight belt between [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] and [autotag]Diego Lopes[/autotag]. Also, UFC star [autotag]Paddy Pimblett [/autotag] takes a giant step in his career when he faces former Bellator champion [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] in the co-main event. We preview these bouts, plus many other key fights on the card.

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Julianna Peña vs. Kayla Harrison title fight booked for UFC 316 in New Jersey

Julianna Peña will attempt to make the first defense of her second title reign against Olympic champ Kayla Harrison at UFC 316.

[autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag]’s long-awaited chance to fight for UFC gold is now set.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time PFL champion Harrison (18-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) will challenge [autotag]Julianna Peña[/autotag] (11-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) for the women’s bantamweight championship at UFC 316 on June 7 from Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

UFC CEO Dana White announced the news Tuesday on Instagram Live as part of a series of UFC 316 matchups.

Peña, 35, captured the 135-pound title for the second time this past October with a controversial split decision victory over Raquel Pennington at UFC 307. She urged Amanda Nunes to come out of retirement for a trilogy bout but will not get her wish.

Instead, Harrison, 34, will get her first crack at a belt inside the octagon. After coming over from PFL in early 2024, Harrison has opened her UFC career with a submission of Holly Holm and a decision win over Ketlen Vieira.

The latest lineup for UFC 316 now includes:

  • Champ Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O’Malley – for bantamweight title
  • Champ Julianna Peña vs. Kayla Harrison – for women’s bantamweight title
  • Mario Bautista vs. Marlon Vera
  • Shamil Gaziev vs. Serghei Spivac
  • Bruno Silva vs. Joshua Van
  • Azamat Murzakanov vs. Johnny Walker

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 316.

Julianna Peña changes tune on significance of Kayla Harrison fight vs. Amanda Nunes trilogy

UFC women’s bantamweight champion Julianna Peña has seemingly moved on from the Amanda Nunes rubber match.

UFC women’s bantamweight champion [autotag]Julianna Peña[/autotag] has seemingly moved on from the [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag] rubber match.

Peña (13-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) long has campaigned for a third fight with Nunes after they split their first two championship appearances. However, with Nunes retired, Peña never got her opportunity to settle the score.

After dethroning Raquel Pennington to become champion at UFC 307, Peña dismissed [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] (18-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) and called out Nunes. However, Peña now has changed her tune and values a win over Harrison more than beating Nunes a second time.

“Kayla Harrison absolutely, because that’s fresh, that’s current,” Peña said on the “Overdogs Podcast.” “I don’t want to be living in the past, I don’t want to be stuck in the past. I want to be moving forward and keep things pushing over here, and that’s Kayla Harrison. That’s the one that I have my eyes on. That’s my target, that’s my goal, and it would mean the most to me. And I’m not unfamiliar to this territory. I was an 11-to-1 underdog with Amanda Nunes, so 7-to-1, that’s pretty good.”

Peña has opened up as a big underdog against Harrison. She theorizes why she’s constantly underestimated despite being a two-time UFC bantamweight champion.

“I think that one of the reasons why I’m a 7-to-1 underdog or why I always get overlooked or why people are always counting me out is because maybe I’m not the most technically sound,” Peña said. “Maybe I don’t throw the rock ’em, sock ’em punches perfectly and make everything perfect where I’m just so technical. Maybe I didn’t train martial arts or throw my very first punch until I was 19 years old and never was in wrestling as a young kid or judo as a young kid or was never in any martial arts until that time of throwing a punch for the first time at 19 years old and maybe don’t have the experience that these other girls have. But I’ve always had this one thing that has set me apart from everybody else, and that is my mindset and the mental toughness, the grit and the belief in myself that I can do anything, and I’ve never put a ceiling on myself as far as what I’m capable of doing.

“I have always believed that I can, and when you have that mental toughness of I don’t care what you do, I’m still going to get up, and I’m still going to keep coming at you a million miles an hour, it’s really hard to defeat someone like that. When you throw the kitchen sink at someone and they say, ‘Is that all you got?’ It’s mentally defeating for them and it’s like, ‘What do I got to do kill this person?’ And I’m just on the other side like Terminator. You’re going to have to literally cut my head off in order to get me to stop because I will not stop, and I think that attitude of never giving up or never stopping and always being relentless no matter what is kind of why I’ve had any amount of success that I’ve had, because I might get thrown on my head, but then you’re going to have to be careful about what I do after I get thrown on my head. I may get taken down, but then you’re going to have to be worrying about you getting elbowed in the face or punched because I’m not going to lay down, and I will not lay down.”

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Ailin Perez: Julianna Peña is ‘scared sh*tless’ of defending UFC title vs. Kayla Harrison

UFC 311’s Ailin Perez thinks Julianna Peña is trying to avoid defending her UFC women’s bantamweight title against Kayla Harrison.

If [autotag]Julianna Peña[/autotag] does not want to fight [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] for the UFC title, [autotag]Ailin Perez[/autotag] will do it.

Perez, a rising contender in the UFC women’s bantamweight division, thinks Peña is trying to do everything to avoid defending her title against Harrison. That’s why Perez (11-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) wants to offer the promotion her services should she defeat Karol Rosa (18-6 MMA, 7-3 UFC) this Saturday at UFC 311 (pay-per-view, ESPNews/Disney+, ESPN+) – which goes down at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif.

“I’m going to ask for a title fight, preferably against Kayla Harrison for the interim title, since Julianna Peña doesn’t want to defend her beat against Kayla Harrison,” Perez told Hablemos MMA. “That gives me a little, I don’t know, like, ‘Come on woman, defend your title. Who are you, Julianna Peña?’ I feel she’s scared sh*tless of Kayla Harrison, and I want to show that I also want the belt.

“So why not an interim title fight vs. Kayla Harrison to see who’a the next one for the title? Julianna is turning down fights and not taking advantage of the opportunity the UFC is giving her.”

Perez lost her UFC debut back in 2022 at 145 pounds. She then dropped to bantamweight and has won four consecutive fights, earning her a spot in the top 15 official UFC rankings.

Peña vs. Harrison has yet to be made official by the UFC, but many expect that to be next. If the fight were to come to fruition, Perez only sees one way it could go.

“Obviously Kayla,” Perez said when akes to pick a winner between the two. “That’s why I want to fight Kayla. Just like I think Kayla beats Julianna, I also don’t think Kayla has what’s needed to go five rounds with me. That’s why I want to fight for an interim belt. That’s where we’ll see all of Kayla’s weaknesses.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 311.

Norma Dumont wants into the UFC women’s bantamweight title conversation

Norma Dumont has some different ideas about a potential plan if Julianna Peña can’t fight Kayla Harrison soon. Sorry, Raquel Pennington.

After it was reported Thursday that a potential plan was in place if [autotag]Julianna Peña[/autotag] can’t fight soon, a new hat has been thrown into the proverbial ring.

Manager [autotag]Ali Abdelaziz[/autotag] told MMA Junkie that an interim women’s bantamweight title may be on the table soon if Peña (11-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) can’t fight. Peña won back the 135-pound belt with a split decision win over [autotag]Raquel Pennington[/autotag] (16-9 MMA, 13-6 UFC) at UFC 307 in October.

The decision was a highly debatable one. Only one of 29 media members tracked by MMA Decisions scored the fight for Peña. Another scored it a draw, but 27 of 29 had it for Pennington.

That’s no doubt one of the reasons Abdelaziz thinks Pennington would fight [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] (18-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) if an interim situation arises. It has been expected that Peña would fight Harrison, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time PFL champion, next after her early 2-0 start in the UFC.

But another fighter thinks the brakes should be pumped on the talk of Pennington against Harrison if an interim situation comes up. [autotag]Norma Dumont[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) has won five straight fights, all by decision, including victories in 2024 against Germaine de Randamie and Irene Aldana.

The win over Aldana in particular was notable for its absolute gore. Aldana suffered one of the worst cuts in recent memory and was left an absolute horror show by Dumont’s striking.

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Dumont referenced MMA Junkie’s story when she threw her name into consideration on her Instagram Stories, saying Pennington shouldn’t be in the mix because of her loss to Peña.

“Hey @aliabdelaziz and @kaylaharrisonofficial we can do this,” Dumont posted late Thursday. “I hope they don’t accept a fight for the interim belt with an athlete who is coming off a defeat to Juliana. I am the athlete with the longest streak in the category and the only one who has the physical and technical capacity to overcome it. And you know it! So we’re going to have a really interesting fight for the bantamweight category.”

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