Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has an immediate opening at 135 pounds for the upcoming Sacramento card on July 13, now that Sara McMann has withdrawn due to injury. In talks to replace the Olympian is The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 18 winner, Julianna Pena.
That’s according to a report from MMA Fighting.
Pena, who would fight Nicco Montano on ESPN+ if pen is eventually put to paper, has been on the sidelines for the past two years after giving birth to a baby girl, but it appears the time has come for “Venezuelan Vixen” to reclaim her place atop the bantamweight leaderboard.
Welp, I’m pretty bummed to announce that I won’t be fighting on the July card in Sacramento,” McMann wrote on Instagram. “MMA training demands so much from the body and it pains me to concede that I just wasn’t able to get it properly prepared for the fight. So after learning the hard way (getting injured) I am taking a short time to focus on getting my body healthy and strong enough to withstand the brutal toll that must be paid to be in this sport.”
Pena (8-3) hasn’t competed since a submission loss to Valentina Shevchenko at UFC on FOX 23. Montano (4-2), who also captured a TUF crown, is bumping up from flyweight after her weight-cutting debacle ahead of UFC 228.
To see the complete UFC Sacramento fight card and line up click here.