After reclaiming the women’s bantamweight title at UFC 307, Julianna Pena surprised fans by shifting her focus to an unexpected rematch against a retired fighter.
Following a controversial victory over Raquel Pennington at UFC 307, Pena was questioned about her next move, with a split screen showing Kayla Harrison backstage. Despite Harrison being labeled as the No. 1 contender by the UFC, Pena expressed interest in a trilogy fight against Amanda Nunes, who retired in June 2023.
UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier criticized Pena for not acknowledging Harrison, stating that there is no doubt she will be Pena’s next opponent. Harrison, who defeated Ketlen Vieira earlier in the evening, solidified her position as the rightful contender in the women’s bantamweight division.
Cormier emphasized the importance of Pena starting to build towards a fight with Harrison, as it seems inevitable that they will face off in the near future.
Despite Pena’s callout of Nunes, UFC color commentator Joe Rogan pointed out that Harrison is the most likely next opponent for Pena. Cormier advised Pena to focus on Harrison and not wait until the fight is officially announced.
While Cormier was critical of Pena’s callout strategy, he did congratulate her on becoming a two-time champion with her win over Pennington.
Despite questions about the scorecards, Cormier commended Pena for her tenacity in the fight and for bringing another title to her gym.
Cormier highlighted Pena’s toughness and predicted that she would be a deserving champion.
With two UFC champions now at Valle Flow gym, including Pena, the future looks bright for the Chicago-based training facility.