The UFC 277 headliner noticed among the finest ladies’s title fights we’ve ever seen. In a extremely anticipated rematch, Amanda Nunes made the suitable changes to batter Julianna Pena over 5 rounds. The judges scored the bout 50-45, 50-44 and 50-43 which noticed Nunes get her hand raised and left Pena with out gold.
The Lioness is again on high! Amanda Nunes dominates a brave Julianna Peña over 5 brutal rounds to reclaim the world bantamweight title. 🦁 #UFC277 pic.twitter.com/JARt51OA3u
— SportingMatrix (@Sporting_Matrix) July 31, 2022
Group Change Brings a Change in Model
Throughout their first bout again in December final 12 months, Nunes appeared to consider in her energy an excessive amount of, didn’t respect the desire and need of Pena and gassed out. Saturday evening was an entire completely different story. Having left ATT and dedicated to a brand new fitness center, Nunes appeared to hit gold, in additional methods than one.
She got here out and switched stances with much more regularity than we’ve ever seen her earlier than, opting to combat southpaw for big sections of the combat. She was in a position to always sting Pena with the best hand, whether or not or not it’s uppercuts or, particularly the verify hook.
The ability and pace discrepancies within the first spherical had been evidently in favour of Nunes, one thing that we knew heading into the bout. With that being mentioned, it was the second spherical that basically put a stamp on the truth that Nunes was again and meant enterprise. Three knockdowns, considered one of which took Pena off her toes set the tone for the rest of the combat. Nunes was calm when she knocked Pena down, permitting her to get again to her toes somewhat than falling into the champion’s guard and it have to be mentioned, the canine in Pena by no means left. Up till the ultimate bell, Pena was doing every thing she might to win the combat however on the evening, it wasn’t sufficient.
The third spherical noticed a swap in techniques for Nunes, who was having a lot success on the toes. She took the combat right down to the ground, controlling Pena and never permitting the champion to get something off. The fourth and fifth performed out equally to the third, with Nunes taking the combat to the ground usually and in a dominant style each time. A complete of 5 takedowns had been landed by the Lionness, permitting her to clock up 8:15 management time during the last 10 minutes. She brutalised Pena with elbows, splitting the champion open a number of instances and main her to need plastic surgery on her head.
Regardless of a number of submission efforts, together with a pair of armbars that seemed to be locked in earlier than Nunes slipped out (and don’t consider Joe Rogan who always claimed Pena was near locking in an omoplata, sure she tried it, however having grabbed the glove of Nunes each time, it was clear she wasn’t going to get it), Pena was merely outclassed on the evening. There isn’t any denying that she has the center of a champion, however generally the talent differential is simply too vast which was the case right here.
NUNES GETS HER REVENGE 😤
AMANDA NUNES DEFEATS JULIANNA PEÑA TO RECLAIM THE WOMEN’S UFC BANTAMWEIGHT BELT #UFC277 pic.twitter.com/7mUNQ8ZScn
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 31, 2022
What’s subsequent?
Is there a name for a 3rd combat? Technically Amanda Nunes and Julianna Pena are 1-1 of their rivalry, however there isn’t a terrific want for a 3rd combat. Nunes battered Pena for 25 minutes and confirmed her superiority in regaining the belt. Pena must go away, repair the holes in her recreation, choose up just a few wins after which probably problem Nunes once more.
At bantamweight, there isn’t a number of choices for Nunes. Ketlen Viera is the standout contender, profitable her final two fights. She’s ranked #2 currently and holds two back-to-back essential occasion wins over former champions. With that being mentioned, Viera vs. Nunes doesn’t excite followers an terrible lot. A Raquel Pennington rematch might additionally occur, with ‘Rocky’ having fun with a four-fight profitable run. Their first combat wasn’t all that aggressive, nevertheless, so can be a tough promote to followers. Though Nunes can be the featherweight champion, the much less mentioned about that division the higher.
If Nunes and her former rival, Valentina Shevchenko can work out a weight that works for them each, that is the combat to make. The 2 most dominant ladies within the sport must conflict once more to see who’s one of the best. Shevchenko was drastically undersized at 135lbs however has the right body for 125lbs. Nunes couldn’t make 125lbs, so possibly a 130 or 132lbs catchweight might work with a rehydration clause within the contract of Nunes. The UFC aren’t within the enterprise of big catchweight bouts, nevertheless.
