Julianna Pena Says Amanda Nunes Will Knock Out Ronda Rousey
Julianna Pena Says Amanda Nunes Will Knock Out Ronda Rousey
UFC bantamweight Julianna Pena predicts UFC 207's title fight between Amanda Nunes and Ronda Rousey, airs her discontent with the UFC, and more in this interview.
Julianna Pena isn't thrilled right now.
With the UFC booking Ronda Rousey to face UFC bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes Dec. 30 at UFC 207, Pena feels like the odd woman out.
To her, this is an injustice of the highest order, and she let her feelings be known. In the immediate aftermath of the announcement, Pena reacted by saying she would quit the company. Thankfully, a few days later, she retracted her statement. Cooler heads prevailed.
"I'm under contract with the UFC, so of course I won't be competing elsewhere," Pena told MMA Junkie Radio. "What I was trying to say was that I think the weight and the quality of my wins since winning 'TUF' ('The Ultimate Fighter') would equate to a championship title opportunity in any other promotion. I'm just looking for my shot, and I think I've earned it."
While Pena disagrees with the matchmaking at play, she concedes Rousey is a skilled fighter.
"Ronda is clearly not the worst fighter on the roster, (but) what I was trying to convey was that I think she's in the worst position on the roster," Pena said. "She's coming off a devastating knockout to 'Harmless' Holly and hasn't competed in 11 months. Meanwhile, the title has changed hands multiple times, and the landscape has changed dramatically while she's been away.
"I respect her qualities and what she's done for the division, but she was knocked off the perch that was given to her, and I believe she should have to earn her way back to the top."
Pena then pushed forward her own claim that she, not Rousey, deserved the title shot.
"While she's been on vacation, the rest of us have been fighting--like me--so that said, I feel like I've earned my shot," Pena said. "I'm looking for my shot, and no other girls have had to fight eight times to get close to a title shot. I guess I'm the only one that has had to go that route. I'm going to do that, and I guess it will just be much sweeter in the end.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/VenezuelanVixen/status/786334453996158976" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
"I will await the winner [of Nunes vs. Rousey] and I'm just going to do what makes most sense to me and try to set myself up the best I can as a fighter," she said. "I want to fight high-level competition. I want to fight girls that haven't lost and I want to fight the best in the world.
"I want to fight girls that have records and that aren't just 1-0. Whatever the best decision is we will do, but until then, I will be waiting in the wings until we can find something better."
The former "TUF 18" winner then gave a prediction on who she thinks will win the UFC 207 title fight between Nunes and Rousey. Unsurprisingly, Pena wasn't afraid to offer her opinion.
"I think Amanda Nunes is probably going to knock her out again, but we will see how that goes."
With the UFC booking Ronda Rousey to face UFC bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes Dec. 30 at UFC 207, Pena feels like the odd woman out.
To her, this is an injustice of the highest order, and she let her feelings be known. In the immediate aftermath of the announcement, Pena reacted by saying she would quit the company. Thankfully, a few days later, she retracted her statement. Cooler heads prevailed.
"I'm under contract with the UFC, so of course I won't be competing elsewhere," Pena told MMA Junkie Radio. "What I was trying to say was that I think the weight and the quality of my wins since winning 'TUF' ('The Ultimate Fighter') would equate to a championship title opportunity in any other promotion. I'm just looking for my shot, and I think I've earned it."
While Pena disagrees with the matchmaking at play, she concedes Rousey is a skilled fighter.
"Ronda is clearly not the worst fighter on the roster, (but) what I was trying to convey was that I think she's in the worst position on the roster," Pena said. "She's coming off a devastating knockout to 'Harmless' Holly and hasn't competed in 11 months. Meanwhile, the title has changed hands multiple times, and the landscape has changed dramatically while she's been away.
"I respect her qualities and what she's done for the division, but she was knocked off the perch that was given to her, and I believe she should have to earn her way back to the top."
Pena then pushed forward her own claim that she, not Rousey, deserved the title shot.
"While she's been on vacation, the rest of us have been fighting--like me--so that said, I feel like I've earned my shot," Pena said. "I'm looking for my shot, and no other girls have had to fight eight times to get close to a title shot. I guess I'm the only one that has had to go that route. I'm going to do that, and I guess it will just be much sweeter in the end.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/VenezuelanVixen/status/786334453996158976" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
"I will await the winner [of Nunes vs. Rousey] and I'm just going to do what makes most sense to me and try to set myself up the best I can as a fighter," she said. "I want to fight high-level competition. I want to fight girls that haven't lost and I want to fight the best in the world.
"I want to fight girls that have records and that aren't just 1-0. Whatever the best decision is we will do, but until then, I will be waiting in the wings until we can find something better."
The former "TUF 18" winner then gave a prediction on who she thinks will win the UFC 207 title fight between Nunes and Rousey. Unsurprisingly, Pena wasn't afraid to offer her opinion.
"I think Amanda Nunes is probably going to knock her out again, but we will see how that goes."