Julianna Peña is a two-time UFC champion, however she’s undoubtedly endured various ups and downs throughout her profession whereas going 3-2 in her previous 5 fights courting all the best way again to 2020.
On Saturday at UFC 316, Peña seeks her first title protection towards two-time Olympic champion Kayla Harrison. She enters the co-main occasion as a determined underdog. Peña acquired right here following a razor-close cut up resolution win over Raquel Pennington and that combat got here after she misplaced a very lopsided combat to Amanda Nunes of their rematch again in 2022.
Peña additionally holds a submission win over Nunes from their first encounter, however outdoors of her win over Pennington final yr, the 35-year-old bantamweight champion doesn’t truly maintain a victory over anybody else on the lively UFC roster. It’s that résumé, mixed with what’s on tape from her fights within the UFC, which have retired veteran Matt Brown confused about how Peña has even discovered herself on this place.
“I virtually really feel dangerous for Julianna going into this combat,” Brown mentioned on the newest episode of The Fighter vs. The Author. “I don’t understand how she’s gotten so far as she has. I don’t like speaking trash about fighters, I don’t wish to put her down—hopefully she simply doesn’t hear this—however she’s precisely one of many causes I don’t get pleasure from most ladies’s MMA. Kayla is precisely one of many causes I do get pleasure from some girls’s MMA.
“Kayla is a f*cking legit savage fighter and he or she’s good and it’s [enjoyable] to look at. Julianna, simply being trustworthy, I don’t understand how she’s within the place she’s in. She doesn’t actually do a lot of something good. All due respect, I’m not attempting to take a bunch of hate for it or something but it surely simply is what it’s. I simply don’t how one can combat that poorly and be within the prime group on this planet.”
Brown believes Peña has largely thrived primarily based off of her previous win over Nunes when she pulled off one of many greatest upsets in UFC historical past.
Nobody can take that win away from her, however Brown can’t assist however marvel if beating Nunes finally did Peña extra hurt than good now that she has to tackle Harrison this weekend.
“The unlucky half for her is she beats Amanda Nunes so in fact now she will get a combat like Kayla Harrison however that’s unlucky for her,” Brown mentioned. “It’s going to get her just a little little bit of press, we’re speaking about it, she would possibly get just a little bit higher payday for this, I don’t actually know what her contract is or something however now she’s acquired to go combat Kayla Harrison.
“That’s not going to be an gratifying night time for her. She would possibly look again and be like ‘God, I want I by no means beat Amanda Nunes, they’d have by no means put me on this shit.’ She would possibly begin considering that in the course of the primary spherical. Like god, how did my life end up like this and why am I on this scenario?”
Whereas Brown doesn’t low cost Peña’s win over Nunes, he additionally believes the rematch was a significantly better indicator of the hole between these two fighters.
“I believe within the second combat, Amanda put an excellent stamp on it and confirmed ‘I didn’t prepare for the primary one, I didn’t respect this chick,’” Brown mentioned. “I by no means like that as an excuse. We’re speculated to be professionals.
“Generally it’s simply apparent, too. Like [Georges St-Pierre]-[Matt] Serra, typically it’s clear who was higher. I don’t like utilizing the time period fortunate punch both however whoever simply occurred to indicate up on that night time.”
On the subject of Harrison’s potential, Brown views her as the absolute best answer to the shortage of enthusiasm surrounding the ladies’s bantamweight division since each Nunes and Ronda Rousey retired from the game.
Brown has absolute religion that Harrison turns into UFC champion on Saturday night time and eventually places that division again on observe.
“Kayla goes to return in and demolish all people and present all of them what an actual fighter is,” Brown mentioned. “That’s precisely what the division wants. It’s what ladies’ MMA wants. Only a actual fighter coming in and exhibiting them actual abilities.
“I assumed Holly Holm had an excellent shot at beating her as a result of I believe Holly Holm can also be an excellent fighter. Didn’t have an opportunity. Like nothing. As soon as I noticed that, I knew Kayla was nice, however she by no means fought somebody like Holly both. I used to be like we’ll see and with the burden reduce … the burden reduce had lots of considerations however she confirmed she’s that woman. She’s the one which they wanted and he or she’s right here to f*ck folks up.”
