Julianna Peña expects to nonetheless be within the championship dialog every time she returns to motion.
“The Venezuelan Vixen” fell brief within the first protection of her second bantamweight championship reign Saturday at UFC 316, where she was submitted by Kayla Harrison within the night’s co-main occasion. Afterwards, Harrison known as returning legend Amanda Nunes out from the group to face off along with her within the cage and lay the groundwork for a dream match between two of probably the most completed girls within the historical past of fight sports activities.
No matter how that struggle goes, the 35-year-old Peña plans to be subsequent in line. She launched a press release Sunday addressing the loss and letting her rivals know she desires the winner of their upcoming matchup.
“Time to get healed up and prepare for her subsequent struggle as a result of I’m calling dibs on the winner!” Peña wrote on Instagram. See her publish under.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t in a position to get the job executed,” Peña wrote. “I’m tremendous dissatisfied, however hats off to Kayla on her win!”
Peña is now 0-2 in UFC title defenses throughout two stints with the bantamweight belt. She pulled off a legendary upset of Nunes at UFC 269 solely to drop the title again to “The Lioness” of their speedy rematch seven months later. Peña received the title once more with a contentious break up choice win over Raquel Pennington at UFC 307 this previous October, however once more fell as champion when she bumped into Harrison this previous Saturday.
No official announcement has been made but for Harrison vs. Nunes, however there’s each purpose to imagine the bout will likely be formally booked someday this yr and happen both in late 2025 or early 2026.
Harrison improved to 3-0 within the UFC and 19-1 general along with her dominant win over Peña. The 34-year-old Ohio native joins Henry Cejudo as the one Olympic champions to additionally turn into UFC champions, with Harrison having twice received Olympic gold. She launched her profession in PFL, the place she received two league tournaments competing at 145 kilos.
Nunes, 37, a former two-division UFC champion at bantamweight and featherweight, just lately introduced she was popping out of retirement. She initially hung up the gloves in 2023 following a win over Irene Aldana, her sixth profitable bantamweight title protection general. Since 2014, Nunes has compiled a 14-1 document, along with her lone loss coming by the hands of Peña.
