Yet to book her Octagon return since dropping her undisputed UFC bantamweight crown to current two-weight champion, Amanda Nunes in the pair’s title rematch back in July, Julianna Peña insists a trilogy rubber match between the duo should be next – as he eyes another title coronation.
Headlining UFC 277 against Bahia favorite, Nunes back in July, Peña suffered a rather one-sided championship loss against the Brazilian in the pair’s rematch.
Suffering a unanimous decision (50-45, 50-44, 50-43) defeat to Nunes, in December of last year, Peña turned in one of the most shocking upset wins in the history of professional mixed martial arts, submitting Nunes with a stunning second round rear-naked choke.
Entering the pair’s first tangle as a sizeable underdog, Peña managed to survive a grappling-heavy opening round against Nunes to eventually wear on the Brazilian in the second with a slew of strikes, before taking the latter down, and locking in a rear-naked choke – sans hooks, securing a submission win.
It appears to be a trilogy title fight or bust for Julianna Peña
Yet to return to the Octagon since suffering her one-sided title defense loss to Nunes, Julianna Peña insists she only wants to compete in a trilogy rubber match with the Brazilian next, maintaining she will reclaim the bantamweight crown.
“Everyone keeps asking me what’s next…. I’m getting my belt back that’s what’s next!” Julianna Peña posted on her official Instagram. “A trilogy with @amanda_leoa (Amanda Nunes) is the fight to make. I did everything I said I was going to do going into that first fight. I gave Amanda the immediate rematch within six months and man, maybe I should have sat out for two years like she does?”
“She told all y’all she could have finished me in RD2 (round two) but I guess she wanted to get her face rearranged for three more rounds and leave on (emoji) instead (emoji) she even said we head-butted and you guys believed it. Never happened! She had to go home and change and revamp her ENTIRE STYLE to beat me. I take it as a compliment,” Julianna Peña continued. “She outsmarted me the second time I give her that. We are 1-1 and this time I will not miss! @ufc this #trilogy needs to happen LFG!”
With the UFC set to return to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in January of next year for a UFC 283 event at the Jeunesse Arena, speculation has been rife regarding an Octagon return for undisputed bantamweight and featherweight queen, Nunes, however, at the time of publication the Brazilian has yet to be matched.