“Venezuelan Vixen” was cage side during Nunes’ dominant win over Irene Aldana at UFC 289, and didn’t hold back when “The Lioness” announced her decision to retire from fighting.
Julianna Pena was not impressed with Amanda Nunes’ decision to retire after a one-sided route of Irena Aldana at UFC 289.
Pena and Nunes were supposed to fight for a third time in Vancouver, but the bout was scuttled after “The Venezuelan Vixen” withdrew over an injury. Irene Aldana stepped in and froze up, resulting in a one-sided mauling that ended with 50–44, 50–44, 50–43 scores. Following the fight, Nunes laid down her gloves and two championship belts, announcing her decision to retire.
“Of course she’s gonna retire when she knows she’s got to fight me. Of course,” Pena said from ringside. “Don’t compare yourself to Anderson Silva! Do not compare yourself to Anderson Silva. Shut up! Boo! You suck!”
Julianna Peña reacts to Amanda Nunes retiring. Do you guys think Amanda owed her the trilogy fight? What do you guys think? #ufc289 #ufc pic.twitter.com/ZgmbbdhwYv
— Nina-Marie Daniele (@ninamdrama) June 12, 2023
Pena shocked the world back in December 2021 when she snapped Nunes’ 12-fight win streak at UFC 269, wobbling “The Lioness” with punches before securing a rear-naked choke submission in the second round of their championship fight. Pena’s reign wouldn’t last long. Nunes would come back strong half a year later to blank her on the scorecards in the rematch. That fight featured 50–45, 50–44, and 50–43 scores.
You’d think that would be definitive enough to end the rivalry, but the UFC decided to set up a third fight between the two women. A broken rib suffered by Pena in training derailed those plans, but she was healthy enough to turn up in Vancouver where she trash talked Nunes during multiple appearances and interviews.
“I scared you so bad into retirement,” Pena wrote in a tweet after Nunes’ win over Aldana. “Personally, Congratulations. Professionally, wtf was that?”
“Canadians don’t boo, they just walked out quietly before The fight was over,” she added in a second tweet, adding the hashtags #snoozefest, #terrible, #stinker, and #ducking.
During the post-fight press conference, Amanda Nunes addressed Pena’s chirping.
“Oh my goodness, what to say about that girl?” Nunes said. “She’s supposed to be here. I’m supposed to beat her tonight again. She’s the one who doesn’t know who to train, she broke a rib. What am I gonna do about that?”
Nunes’ retirement opens up the women’s bantamweight division, and now Pena and other challengers finally have a chance to establish themselves as champions in the division. It looks like no one will get a shot at Nunes’ women’s featherweight title. Following her retirement, UFC president Dana White suggested the promotion would shut down the 145 pound division.
To check out the latest and greatest UFC 289: “Nunes vs. Aldana” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.