UFC bantamweight standout Jessica-Rose Clark believes Amanda Nunes will once again dominate Julianna Pena in the pair’s world title trilogy bout this summer.
Pena shocked the world at UFC 269, scoring a second-round rear-naked choke submission against Amanda Nunes to capture the 135-pound crown. Seven months later, ‘The Lioness’ would exact revenge, reclaiming the bantamweight championship with a dominant 25-minute beating of the ‘Venezuelan Vixen.’ Despite the series being tied 1-1, fans were seemingly uninterested in seeing a third matchup between the two. However, that didn’t stop the promotion from bringing the fight together for its long-awaited return to Canada at UFC 289 on June 10.
Sharing her thoughts on the threequel in an interview with Combat Sports on Fanatics View, bantamweight fan-favorite Jessica-Rose Clark suggested that Nunes will walk out of Rogers Arena with UFC gold still wrapped around her waist.
“Honestly, I think it’s going to go the same way as the last one went,” Clark said. “Like, I don’t think Peña has a whole lot for Amanda when Amanda’s switched on. I don’t think many people have a whole lot for Amanda when Amanda is switched on, honestly.”
Jessica-Rose Clark will step back inside the Octagon to take on 5-2 fighter Tainara Lisboa at a UFC Fight Night event scheduled for May 13. The card is expected to emanate from the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC, and feature a high-stakes heavyweight main event clash between Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Jailton Almeida.
Julianna Peña says Amanda Nunes was "forced" to fight her
#TheMMAHour
"She had no choice but to fight me. She doesn’t want to fight me. They told me she doesn’t want to fight me."
— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) April 12, 2023
Despite the Loss to Julianna Pena, Many Still Consider Amanda Nunes the Greatest Female Fighter of All Time
Prior to the shocking loss, Amanda Nunes was on a 12-fight win streak that saw her dispatch the biggest names in women’s mixed martial arts history, including Miesha Tate, Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg, Holly Holm, and Valentina Shevchenko on two separate occasions. Despite the defeat, many still consider ‘The Lioness’ to be the greatest female fighter in the history of the sport.
On the other side of the coin is Julianna Pena, an 11-5 fighter who has scored notable wins over Jessica Eye, Cat Zingano, and Sara McMann. Her 2021 win over Amanda Nunes was dubbed by multiple major news outlets, including LowKick MMA, as the Upset of the Year.
Can Julianna Pena shock the world once again on June 10 or will Amanda Nunes continue to dominate the world of women’s MMA? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.