Julianna Pena believes Amanda Nunes took “easy way out” by retiring and avoiding trilogy fight
Former UFC bantamweight champion Julianna Pena is still unhappy with Amanda Nunes’ decision to retire, and she’s not afraid to keep speaking on it. The newly-retired former bantamweight and featherweight champion had been slated to meet Pena in a trilogy showdown for the bantamweight title, with each woman holding a win over the other, looking to settle the score. That fight did not take place after Pena was forced to withdraw due to injury and Irene Aldana stepped in to replace her, putting the trilogy on hold.
In the fight against Aldana, Nunes cruised to an unanimous decision victory, once again defending her bantamweight title, but then announced her retirement during her post-fight interview with her wife and child by her side. As she announced her decision, Julianna Pena was captured on camera cageside with a furious reaction to the announcement, knowing that there was no chance of the trilogy being completed.
The former champion continues to voice her displeasure with Nunes decision, believing that the former champion made a simpler choice with her retirement. In an interview with ESPN’s SportsCenter, Julianna Pena said she believes the decision to retire was Nunes choosing to take the “easy way out” and took aim at the champion’s previous history of withdrawing from fights herself.
“I think the biggest thing for me is we are 1-1 and I think I’m the only person on the face of the planet that is allowed, or can say, or call Amanda Nunes a coward because we do have unfinished business. I definitely think she found the easy way out in retiring. Injuries happen in this sport, of course it’s my fault that I wasn’t able to compete at that time. She also pulled out of our fight when we were supposed to fight the first time and she’s pulled out of many fights in the past, it doesn’t mean you go and retire because of it. For me, I think it’s just a little frustrating and I was definitely showing my frustration there cageside.”
Despite being angry about the decision to retire, Julianna Pena did wish her former rival the best in retirement, she just doesn’t think she should’ve walked away without the trilogy being complete.
“As a Mom, as a human, I wish her the best, enjoy your retirement. On a professional level, you can’t go when we’re 1-1. You got to finish it out, you have to see it through. I think she knew what was in store for her and that’s why she chose the easy way out and I guess we’ll never know.”
The rivalry between Julianna Pena and Amanda Nunes doesn’t seem to be one that the former champion is willing to let go of anytime soon, but with Nunes now retired, the path for Pena to get back into a relatively quick title fight seems obvious with the belt being vacated.
