Julianna Pena is one of the women in line for a UFC Women’s Bantamweight Title shot, but there is another woman on that line whom Pena believes should not be getting a title shot.
That woman is Ronda Rousey and Pena recently appeared on The MMA Hour to discuss her reasoning as to why the former women’s bantamweight champion should not get an opportunity at the gold upon her return.
“Yeah, I think it’s baloney…When Dana White announced that women were going to be fighting in the UFC around that same time it was announced that women were going to fight in The Ultimate Fighter, so I’ve been around from the very beginning. I’ve been around fighting these girls, and grinding, and taking this path of knowing who I’m going to fight, fighting in the ultimate fighter. And fighting everyone that they put in front of me, you know, inside the UFC octagon. So I’m the only girl that’s consistently winning, and if this was a tournament like The Ultimate Fighter, I don’t even know how some of these girls are still in this tournament. They’re still winning, and they have record of 1-1, and I’m still getting offers to fight them. I have not even been beat up in a fight before so many of these matchups don’t make sense to me. And coming from a not even a controversial loss, like you [Rousey] got knocked the f out. You got knocked out and then you get a title fight coming off of that. I’m still scratching my head, still piecing it together, and it just doesn’t make sense. If this was tournament-style format, I would be the only one standing, so to me, its kind of all nonsense. Like I said, I’m ready to go, so when that phone rings and says, ‘Hey, you’re fighting Ronda, you’re fighting Amanda,’ I’ll be like perfect” said Pena.
Pena, obviously believes that she is next in line for a shot at the title, but she talks to Ariel Helwani about who should be fighting for the belt next.
“The only fight that makes sense for me it’s me and Amanda [Nunes]. Both winning at UFC 200, it’s the most logical thing and the only thing I had in my head. And what I was being told is that I was going to be fighting Amanda for the title, and the biggest, hugest card in the world is coming up on Madison Square Garden, so that’s the only palace, time and opponent I was thinking about for that time frame. They [UFC] didn’t say that and they haven’t yet. I’m still waiting. I’m on idle waiting for them to change their minds. I’m ready to go, I’ve been training, and if they need me to step in and fight any of those girls and fight at Madison Square against Amanda or Ronda, let’s do it cause I’m more than ready” said Pena.
Pena also believes that she should be getting bigger fights in the women’s bantamweight division, but her main targets are champion Amanda Nunes and Ronda Rousey.
“I’m ready to fight the big fights. I’m ready to fight for a belt, the whole enchilada, all the marbles, the big yellow banana, so I want it all. I’m ready to go when that fight comes. Until then, you know, maybe I’ll get ants in the pants, but in the mean time, I’m just ready to fight. I’m ready to fight against the best girls in the world, and ready to show why I’m the best fighter in the world” Pena said.
Pena obviously has her mind set on a few fights she would like next and unless its Rousey or Nunes, we may not be seeing her in the octagon for some time.
