Raquel Pennington doesn’t understand why Julianna Pena continues to get big fights.
While ‘The Venezuelan Vixen’ holds a solid 7-3 record under the UFC banner, her appearances have been few and far between since her shocking second-round submission victory over Amanda Nunes nearly four years ago. In the time since, Pena has only fought once, losing a decisive unanimous decision against ‘The Lioness’ in their UFC 277 rematch.
Pena and Nunes were scheduled to complete their trilogy a year later in Vancouver, but the TUF alumnus withdrew from the bout due to injury. Nunes went on to pummel replacement opponent Irene Aldana for five rounds before laying down her titles and walking away from the sport.
Two and a half years removed from her last fight, Pena is scheduled to co-main event UFC 307 this Saturday in Salt Lake City as she challenges reigning bantamweight queen Raquel Pennington.
Speaking with MMA Fighting, ‘Rocky’ was baffled by how Pena managed to find herself in another title fight despite being inactive due to injuries for the past 27 months. Pennington also suggested that there are those behind the scenes in the UFC actively rooting against Pena every time she steps inside the Octagon.
“I don’t understand how this girl can stay injured and then she comes back and all of a sudden she’s getting a big fight and then she’s injured and then she comes back and she’s getting something else and it’s like who’s managing you? Like what are you doing here? Whatever you’re doing, great, it’s working for you, congratulations, you had like whatever for yourself but it just doesn’t make sense to me and so I’m like alright.
“At the end of the day, UFC is going to do what UFC does and you know, I won’t say a name but some people in UFC have said like, ‘Hey, everybody loves watching Julianna get her a** beat for five rounds’, so why not?” (h/t MMA News)
Raquel Pennington seeks her seventh straight win at UFC 307
With more than 15 years in the fight game, Raquel Pennington has seen her fair share of ups and downs inside the cage. Between 2018 and 2020, ‘Rocky’ lost three out of four, including a fifth-round TKO to Amanda Nunes. However, Pennington has since won six straight capped off by her title-winning performance against Mayra Bueno Silva at UFC 297.
If she can earn a win over Pena, Pennington will likely be tasked with taking out Kayla Harrison next in what would undoubtedly be the biggest fight of her career.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist will also return to the Octagon this weekend seeking her second win under the promotion banner against No. 2 ranked Ketlen Vieira. Of course, if for any reason Pena can’t make the walk at UFC 307, Harrison will be more than ready to step in and take her spot in the co-headliner.
