A couple weeks after her shocking upset win over former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes at UFC 269, Julianna Pena is still somewhat irked that she isn’t getting the credit she deserves.
Many have questioned just how tight her rear-naked choke really was was since skeptics was quick to point out that both hooks were not in and “Lioness” was tapping for dear life long before it seemed Pena put any real torque on the hold.
According to the new champion, the choke was air-tight and it was not Nunes’ fatigue that ultimately prompted her to tap.
“It was great. That’s the second time I’ve finished (a fight with that rear-naked choke). I finished Sara McMann in January. It’s something that is not a regular rear-naked choke,” she said in an interview with Jim Rome (via BJPenn.com).
“I know that a lot of people want to discredit me, people wanna say that I didn’t have any hooks in and that wasn’t real and she just tapped because she quit.”
Nunes did look gassed prior to getting submitted, which is inexcusable to some. Still, Pena says if anyone is doubting just how tight her hold was, they are more than welcome to allow her to put them in the choke.
“I guarantee you, and Jim, maybe one day you can take me up on this, or any of your listeners. If any of them out there want to come to my house and let me put that choke on them, I guarantee you they’re gonna tap as well and I guarantee you they’ll be able to feel that force and pressure that I was putting on Amanda.”
Just don’t forget to ask them to sign that hold harmless agreement, champ.
Dana White and Co. are seemingly on track to book an instant rematch between the two, one which Nunes is more than happy to take once she “gets her shit together.” For now, Pena will bask in the glory of her title-winning performance before she gets the chance to prove her win was no fluke.
Any of you willing to take “The Venezuelan Vixen” up on her offer?