Tag: Julianna Pena

Should Kayla Harrison’s first UFC title fight come in the interim variety, one fellow contender has thrown her name into the hat.

Harrison staked her claim for a championship opportunity with a 2-0 debut year in the UFC, which saw her submit former champion Holly Holm and defeat Ketlen Vieira on the scorecards.

Her win over the Brazilian came on the same card that saw Julianna Peña return to the throne at Raquel Pennington’s expense, seemingly setting up their showdown for 2025.

But should recent remarks from Harrison’s manager prove to be true, the two-time Olympic gold medalist may have some work to do before facing “The Venezuelan Vixen.”

“This is what I was being told. Julianna Peña, if she’s not ready to fight Kayla, she might have some health problem, it’s going to be an interim title,” Ali Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie. “Hundred percent this is what’s going to happen. And the UFC is just not going to hold the division because somebody don’t want to fight or are injured.”

And in terms of who an interim title fight could come against, Norma Dumont evidently sees herself as the only logical choice.

“I hope they don’t accept a fight for the interim belt with an athlete who is coming off a defeat to Julianna. I am the athlete with the longest streak in the (weight class) and the only one who has the physical and technical capacity to overcome it, Dumont was quoted as saying by Brazilian outlet Ag. Fight. “And you know it! So we’re going to have a really interesting fight for the bantamweight (interim title).” 

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Dumont has risen to #4 in the rankings courtesy of two straight wins since returning to bantamweight. After getting the better of former champ Germaine de Randamie, the 34-year-old most recently outpointed Irene Aldana at the Sphere-held UFC 306 pay-per-view.

• Read More: Sean O’Malley Sets Ideal Scenario For His Journey To Reclaiming UFC Bantamweight Title

One of UFC Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña’s peers isn’t giving her much of a chance against the charging Kayla Harrison.

Peña and Harrison appear to be on a collision course for 2025 after their respective victories at the UFC 307 pay-per-view in Salt Lake City this past October.

While the former regained the 135-pound gold in the co-main event by narrowly and controversially outpointing Raquel Pennington, the ex-PFL standout moved to 2-0 in the Octagon with a victory over Ketlen Vieira.

Harrison had already been pointed to as a worthy title challenger after she emphatically dispatched former champ Holly Holm by way of submission on debut at UFC 300. But having added another name to her record’s win column after being made to fight another contender, the two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo is widely seen as next in line.

“The Venezuelan Vixen,” however, instead called out longtime rival Amanda Nunes following her victory. And according to one UFC fighter, that’s perhaps smart if she wants to prolong her reign…

During a recent interview with InsideFighting, formerly ranked flyweight Miranda Maverick gave her assessment of the expected next championship contest at 135 pounds.

Suffice to say, her view won’t make for good reading in the Peña household.

“I think Kayla will win,” Maverick said. “I think her striking is not very good and hasn’t seemed to improve very much over time, but I think she’ll win regardless. I think she’ll get it to the ground, and Peña won’t be getting back up. Yeah, Peña will lose her title if she goes against Kayla, guaranteed.”

While an opponent for the first defense of Peña’s second stint on the bantamweight throne has not been confirmed, she has pointed to International Fight Week in mid-2025 as her desired return date.

• Read More: PFL Fighter Suspended One Year After Failed Drug Test For Battle Of The Giants PPV

UFC women’s bantamweight contender Kayla Harrison is not looking forward to getting an earful from champion Julianna Peña in the lead-up to their expected showdown.

Harrison and Peña both had their hands raised at the UFC 307 pay-per-view in Salt Lake City, Utah earlier this month, seemingly setting up a long-discussed clash between the pair in 2025.

The two-time Olympic gold medalist was the first to emerge victorious, outpointing Ketlen Vieira on the main card to move to 2-0 under the UFC banner. “The Venezuelan Vixen” later made the walk for the co-main event, in which she dethroned Raquel Pennington to win back the 135-pound title.

Although Peña has attempted to draw Amanda Nunes back from retirement to complete their trilogy next, Harrison is no doubt the consensus number one contender and appears likely to compete with gold on the line in her third UFC fight.

While that is no doubt music to the two-time PFL champ’s ears, she outlined during an appearance on Tuesday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned that not everything about gearing up to challenge for the belt is positive…

Harrison — who went back and forth with the newly crowned bantamweight queen during the pre-fight press conference for UFC 307 — shared a sentiment common among Peña’s opponents when it comes to the verbal sparring she’s anticipating.

“I just don’t care. I mean, it’s going to be more exciting and more fun to whoop her ass,” Harrison said when asked if she was happy that Peña won. “But she’s also like — dude, now I have to listen to her talk.”

It remains to be seen when Harrison will get her shot at adding UFC title glory to an already illustrious résumé in combat sports.

While the Ohio native — who has dubbed herself the “uncrowned queen” in the 135-pound division — says she’ll soon be ready to go, the champ recently pointed to International Fight Week in the summer of 2025 as her desired return date.

• Read More: Larissa Pacheco Sticks Up For Kayla Harrison After PFL’s ‘Uncalled For’ Fight-Day Dig

Continue Reading Kayla Harrison On UFC 307 Setting Up Peña Fight: ‘Now I Have To Listen To Her Talk’ at MMA News.

UFC women’s bantamweight contender Kayla Harrison is not looking forward to getting an earful from champion Julianna Peña in the lead-up to their expected showdown.

Harrison and Peña both had their hands raised at the UFC 307 pay-per-view in Salt Lake City, Utah earlier this month, seemingly setting up a long-discussed clash between the pair in 2025.

The two-time Olympic gold medalist was the first to emerge victorious, outpointing Ketlen Vieira on the main card to move to 2-0 under the UFC banner. “The Venezuelan Vixen” later made the walk for the co-main event, in which she dethroned Raquel Pennington to win back the 135-pound title.

Although Peña has attempted to draw Amanda Nunes back from retirement to complete their trilogy next, Harrison is no doubt the consensus number one contender and appears likely to compete with gold on the line in her third UFC fight.

While that is no doubt music to the two-time PFL champ’s ears, she outlined during an appearance on Tuesday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned that not everything about gearing up to challenge for the belt is positive…

Harrison — who went back and forth with the newly crowned bantamweight queen during the pre-fight press conference for UFC 307 — shared a sentiment common among Peña’s opponents when it comes to the verbal sparring she’s anticipating.

“I just don’t care. I mean, it’s going to be more exciting and more fun to whoop her ass,” Harrison said when asked if she was happy that Peña won. “But she’s also like — dude, now I have to listen to her talk.”

It remains to be seen when Harrison will get her shot at adding UFC title glory to an already illustrious résumé in combat sports.

While the Ohio native — who has dubbed herself the “uncrowned queen” in the 135-pound division — says she’ll soon be ready to go, the champ recently pointed to International Fight Week in the summer of 2025 as her desired return date.

• Read More: Larissa Pacheco Sticks Up For Kayla Harrison After PFL’s ‘Uncalled For’ Fight-Day Dig

Continue Reading Kayla Harrison On UFC 307 Setting Up Peña Fight: ‘Now I Have To Listen To Her Talk’ at MMA News.