Julianna Pena explains why she earned title shot against Amanda Nunes at UFC 265
UFC women’s bantamweight contender Julianna Pena explained why she earned a title shot against champion Amanda Nunes at UFC 265.
Despite having just a one-fight win streak, with a comeback submission win over Sara McMann in her last outing at UFC 257, the UFC went ahead and gave Pena the title shot against Nunes after she called for it. The two will square off in August at UFC 265 with Nunes’ 135lbs title on the line.
Many fans believe that Pena basically got the title shot by default since Nunes has defeated the majority of the contenders at 135lbs. In addition, Pena talked a lot of trash leading up to getting the fight which many observers believe also helped play a role in getting her the title shot she wanted.
Pena, however, believes that it was facts and not her trash talk that got her the title shot. Speaking on “The Perimeter with Adam Morrison,” Pena explained why she deserves to fight Nunes for the UFC bantamweight title.
“A lot of people say, ‘Well, she got the title fight from talking sh*t. I’m like, ‘No, I didn’t get the title shot from talking sh*t. I’m speaking my truth. I’m telling you what happened. I was 7-0 when you (Amanda Nunes) didn’t want to fight me. You beat Miesha Tate that night (at UFC 200), and I beat Cat Zingano, who freakin’ literally made you curl up in the fetal position and the ref had to pull you off. You quit. I didn’t quit. I beat her. And she stomped a mudhole in you,” Pena said (h/t Clyde Aidoo of MMANews.com).
“So it’s like, I’m not trying to talk sh*t. I’m just saying facts of what I saw, and what I have done, and my experience. I came back from a knee injury. I came back from having a baby. I’ve still been able to win at the highest level. I’ve dropped fights to Valentina and to Germaine, but with that being said, you were struggling with those girls when you fought them. I was dominating both of them before I, myself, got caught for being a freakin’ dumbass.”
Do you think Julianna Pena will defeat Amanda Nunes at UFC 265?
