Bantamweight fighter Julianna Pena has a lot to say about naysayers who doubt her ability.
Pena will be coming out of a loss and two-year layoff to battle Raquel Pennington for the bantamweight title. The bout will be the co-main event of UFC 307, which will take place in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Despite reaching her pinnacle in the sport and being considered one of the top fighters, critics believe she’s not deserving. Many believe the fighter does not deserve a title shot, and Kayla Harrison should be the one challenging Pennington.
“I think that it is unfair for somebody to beat a 45-year-old and get one win and be able to fight for the title. Just jump the line ahead of all these other girls that have been in the division for a long time.
But also, there hasn’t been anybody else that was ever able to stop Amanda Nunes [at UFC 269] in the dominant fashion that I was able to do.” Peña told MMA Fighting.
“Even Raquel herself, [wanted to] quit on the stool. … I think that for me, I stopped and slayed the GOAT that no one was able to beat in over seven years — and I think that in and of itself has kind of earned me the opportunity to say that I’m gonna be fighting for the belt. Regardless of the layoff.”
“The Venezuelan Vixen” made a mark in MMA when she submitted Amanda Nunes in her recent rematch. The fighters first met in the cage at UFC 277 in 2022, but Nunes defeated Penna and regained the title. The two were scheduled for a trilogy fight, but Pena had to withdraw due to an injury.
“ Sure, on the scorecards, I lost. But if you go back and watch that fight, I had a very deep armbar where that fight could have been finished in the fourth round.” Peña said. “I had a mere flesh wound cut on my face, and, yeah, absolutely. I got dropped several times, but I was never knocked out. And I got back up every single time, and Amanda could not finish me at the end of the day. She could not knock me out. She walked out of there in crutches, in a wheelchair, and half of her face swollen shut like she had elephantiasis, and no one has been able to do that to her except me.
“So I think that with that being said, it’s kind of like one of these things, like, did you beat me? Yeah. You might have beat me on the scorecards, but if we got locked inside of a room and they only said that one of us could come out, I’m willing to bet that that would have been me. Because, I know that I’m a great warrior and that I’m literally gonna give hell, or die trying. And I was clutching onto that thing as hard as I could. In my defense, and I wasn’t able to get the job done, but I don’t feel defeated. It went to a decision and, aside from it being bloody and having a little cut, I never stopped. And I never will.”
Pena believes she has worked hard enough to earn her place and is a worthy number-one contender. She advises Harrison to keep her eyes on the prize and continue to build herself up.
The UFC is very strategic in what they want to do and what they have to do, and I guarantee you. I told them that the winner of that fight will face me in the next title challenge,” Peña explained. “So, yes, that’s exactly right that whoever wins out of there will be fighting for the belt.
“All I know for a fact is that [Kayla] should quit saying my name and focus on the girl that she has to fight in front of her. Because Ketlen ain’t no slouch.”
Although Harrison won’t be challenged for the title, she will face Ketlen Vieira at UFC 307.
