Julianna Pena shocked the world when she dominated Amanda Nunes with strikes – and finished her with a submission. The two division champ lauded by many as the female GOAT just gave up.
The newly crowned Queen of UFC Bantamweight division, Julianna ‘The Venezuelan Vixen’ Peña has expressed her interest to drag the former UFC superstar ‘Rowdy’ Ronda Rousey out of her retirement. She also detailed the bad blood she had with the former longtime champion.
Peña shocked the world after beating one of the most dominant champion in UFC history, Amanda ‘The Lioness’ Nunes by submission last December at UFC 269. This win over Nunes won her the Upset of the Year by numerous media outlets.
Even though UFC president Dana White has stated that Nunes rematch would likely be next, Peña also named another opponent in her mind. “It would be amazing to pull Ronda Rousey back out of retirement. It would be great to have her come back to UFC and fight again” Pena said.
She also added that she had some bad experience with the former Strikeforce and UFC champion dating back to The Ultimate Fighter days which saw Rousey coaching the team against Peña’s friend Miesha Tate. “We’re not friends. We don’t speak. She really had a tough time getting along with me on The Ultimate Fighter. She didn’t like me at all because I was friends with Miesha Tate. She wasn’t the nicest.” she said.
“I don’t know that she’ll recall this because she ended up getting taken out by her entire team. But when we won ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ and got out of the house, she told me that, ‘You’re gonna give me a tougher fight than Miesha Tate Tate, but when that day comes I’m still gonna kick your ass.'” she further explained.
Rousey was the Strikeforce Bantamweight champion from 2012 to 2013 and later promoted to UFC Bantamweight champion after the promotion was absorbed by the UFC. She lost her title to Holly Holm in 2015, after coming up short in her comeback fight against Amanda Nunes in 2016, she never fought again since.
Would you be interested to see the reigning champion Julianna Peña facing the long-retired Ronda Rousey?