Julianna Peña says she’s always had the mental edge over Amanda Nunes

Julianna Pena thinks she’s been in Amanda Nunes’ head for a very long time.

Peña (11-4 MMA, 7-2 UFC) did the unthinkable when she dethroned Nunes (21-5 MMA, 14-2 UFC) to seize the bantamweight title at UFC 269. The pair are set to rematch later this yr.

Peña was in a position to break Nunes along with her strain and ultimately submitted her in Spherical 2. However Peña says the method of breaking down the previous dual-champ began some time again when she was constantly calling her out.

“I feel I’ve at all times had the psychological edge with regards to Amanda,” Peña stated in an interview with Morning Kombat. “I’ve been calling out this combat for the final 5 years and he or she hasn’t needed to combat me. She’s at all times made each excuse, like me not making myself worthy for her. Or, ‘Oh, I’m going to search out Ronda (Rousey) as an alternative.’ Or simply discovering a technique to get out of each combat that we have now. Clearly, what I really feel and what I say and the way I strategy issues bothers her as a result of she’s made that very clear.”

Peña simply concluded the filming of Season 30 of “The Final Fighter” reverse Nunes, who pointed to knee injuries as the explanation why she misplaced their first combat. The primary of the 12-episode season will debut on Might 3 and air on ESPN+.

The newly topped champion is anticipating Nunes to come back again with a vengeance and hopes they’ll run issues again by fall.

“I feel I lit a gasoline can of fireside proper beneath her behind,” Peña stated. “She goes to be extra targeted than she has ever been. I feel she goes to be the very best Amanda that she’s ever been, which is humorous as a result of that’s what she stated she goes to do the primary time. So now I’ve to be like, ‘OK, this time it’s critical. This time she’s being for actual.’

“She’s coming at 110 p.c, and I’m going to get the very best model of Amanda Nunes. That’s nice, as a result of I used to be prepared for that finest model of Amanda Nunes in August. I used to be prepared for that finest model of Amanda Nunes in December. Each time that date occurs, hopefully in September on the Jon Jones card, I will likely be prepared for that finest model of Amanda Nunes.”

With Nunes being dubbed the best feminine fighter of all time, does that imply Peña took that title too? “The Venezuelan Vixen” prefers one other label.

“Do you suppose that whenever you beat the G.O.A.T., that you simply grow to be the G.O.A.T. slayer?” Peña requested. “Effectively, then I feel I is perhaps the G.O.A.T. slayer.”