Julianna Peña Plans To Make Everybody 'Forget Amanda Nunes Even Existed' By Inheriting The BW Throne

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Former UFC girls’s bantamweight champion Julianna Peña is hoping to erase the reminiscence of two-time opponent Amanda Nunes’ rule following the Brazilian’s latest retirement.

Nunes, a former simultaneous two-division titleholder, hung up her gloves earlier this month at UFC 289. In the primary occasion of the Canada-held pay-per-view, the “Lioness” efficiently defended the 135-pound belt in opposition to Irene Aldana.

Within the aftermath, it was broadly anticipated {that a} third struggle between Nunes and Peña can be arrange, particularly as “The Venezuelan Vixen” was current having initially been booked to headline the occasion reverse the champ.

Alas, the pair’s trilogy struggle seems to have been handed by. And after getting out her criticism of the MMA legend during and soon after the retirement announcement, Peña is concentrating on a contemporary period at 135 kilos — one the place Nunes is however a distant reminiscence.

Peña: ‘We Gotta Hold This Division Shifting’

Throughout an look on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani just a few days on from Nunes’ choice to name it quits, Peña was requested whether or not she believes her rival is really completed as an lively combined martial artist.

Whereas the previous divisional queen is hoping for a U-turn down the road with a purpose to pave the way in which for her third dance with Nunes, she plans on turning her consideration and the main focus of all the group nicely away from the departed “Lioness.”

“What’s related now’s that she’s gone. She’s useless to me. I do not need something to do with this lady,” Peña stated. “Who cares whether or not she is (actually performed) or not? My job is to make everyone neglect that she ever existed. Hopefully she comes again, you recognize what I imply? That might be best-case situation in order that we might squash this factor and end this trilogy. (It was) actually (going to be) the best trilogy ever in girls’s MMA.

“She took the coward’s approach out. That is all there’s to it. On the finish of the day, like I stated, the lady’s useless to me,” Peña continued. “We gotta preserve this division transferring, and I’m going to do my job, to maintain the division thrilling.”

With that stated, the 33-year-old Spokane native shall be setting her sights on the inevitable vacant bantamweight championship struggle anticipated for later this yr, one spot through which she’s predicted to fill.

And given Erin Blanchfield’s recent flyweight booking against Taila Santos, it seems possible that Raquel Pennington shall be rewarded for her run of wins with a second shot at gold within the UFC.