Julianna Pena had the prospect to start out selling her subsequent title protection after reclaiming the ladies’s bantamweight title at UFC 307 however as an alternative turned her consideration to an unlikely rematch towards a fighter who’s at the moment retired.
Following a controversial win over Raquel Pennington within the UFC 307 co-main occasion, Pena was requested about what’s subsequent for her and a break up display screen confirmed Kayla Harrison backstage ready to react after she defeated Ketlen Vieira earlier within the evening to earn a title shot. Fairly than acknowledge Harrison, who the UFC is fairly clearly naming because the No. 1 contender, Pena requested for a trilogy towards Amanda Nunes, who known as it a profession again in June 2023.
“I’ll say this — she dropped the ball on the callout,” UFC Corridor of Famer Daniel Cormier stated when addressing Pena after UFC 307 ended. “I imply Kayla’s on the display screen. Say her identify. Why no promote the individual that is clearly going to be your No. 1 contender?
“There is no such thing as a world the place she doesn’t struggle Kayla Harrison. She’s combating her subsequent. You would possibly as nicely put the promote on it.”
Harrison moved to 2-0 within the UFC with a unanimous resolution win over Vieira within the opening bout on the primary card on Saturday. Whereas not as dominant as her debut efficiency towards former champion Holly Holm at UFC 300, Harrison nonetheless delivered a win towards one of many UFC’s prime ranked challengers to cement her spot because the rightful contender at 135 kilos.
Through the broadcast, Harrison might solely shake her head in disappointment as Pena known as for the Nunes struggle regardless of UFC coloration commentator Joe Rogan particularly mentioning the two-time Olympic gold medalist as her almost definitely subsequent opponent.
Cormier believes Pena ought to have began constructing in direction of that struggle now relatively than ready as a result of there’s virtually no world the place Harrison isn’t her subsequent opponent.
“Don’t wait till the struggle is introduced,” Cormier stated. “Now you’re a step behind whenever you had the chance to be a step forward going into your struggle with Kayla Harrison, who would be the No. 1 contender to your championship as we go ahead.
“Tonight, it’s not like Kayla Harrison regarded the very best. Kayla’s regarded higher. Tonight she regarded like a woman that should get takedowns and if she doesn’t, she remains to be within the very early levels of her hanging. Julianna Pena ought to’ve after this efficiency been extra prepared to say her identify.”
Whereas he wasn’t a fan of her callout, Cormier did provide congratulations to Pena on changing into a two-time champion together with her win over Pennington.
As a lot because the scorecards got here into query after the struggle, Cormier nonetheless praised Pena for placing on a gutsy efficiency and bringing a title again to the identical fitness center that UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad calls dwelling.
“The one factor you’ll be able to by no means query about Julianna Pena is her toughness,” Cormier stated. “She can be a deserving champion.
“On the finish of the day, she turns into the champion once more and Mike Valle and his staff out at Valle Stream now have two UFC champions on their roster. Huge for a fitness center that’s out of Chicago that isn’t an enormous, enormous fitness center.”
