Tag: Julianna Pena

Peña Responds To Backlash For Saying She’s The UFC’s 1st Mom Champ

Newly crowned women’s bantamweight champion Julianna Peña has responded to the backlash she received for comments made following her UFC 269 title win.

After pulling off one of the biggest upsets in MMA history, Julianna Peña served as an inspirat…

Julianna Pena, Nina Nunes, Amanda Nunes

Newly crowned women’s bantamweight champion Julianna Peña has responded to the backlash she received for comments made following her UFC 269 title win.

After pulling off one of the biggest upsets in MMA history, Julianna Peña served as an inspiration for many people. Peña entered her fight against Amanda Nunes as a +670 underdog, with Nunes cracking four figures as a -1000 favorite.

However, it wasn’t the upset aspect that Peña noted as being historic about her victory. That, as she told reporters after the fight, would be her becoming the first birthing mother to become a UFC champion.

“The UFC absolutely needs to create a new belt for me It needs to be ‘The Baddest Mom on the Planet,’ Peña said during the UFC 269 post-fight press conference. “And you know, I’m not trying to take away anything from Amanda. She’s a wonderful mother. But I gave birth to my daughter, and I know that I feel like, for giving birth, I am the first mom champ. And that, to me, is also a little feather in the cap.”

Julianna Peña Responds To Backlash For Post-Fight Remarks

Many considered Peña’s remarks to be distasteful, with her being accused of minimizing, if not disqualifying Amanda Nunes as a mother because she did not give birth to her daughter.

When MMA reporter Ariel Helwani congratulated Peña on becoming the first UFC champion who gave birth to a child, he also caught some flack. This caused him to post a follow-up tweet to clarify why he feels Peña’s achievement should be celebrated.

“FTR, I’m not trying to diminish anyone. Cmon. Just noting, given my immense respect for what women go through during and post-pregnancy, that this is a first and very much worth commending. That’s it. I know there are many ways to be a mom and they all deserve love + respect,” Helwani tweeted Saturday night.

Helwani would have Peña on as a guest of Monday’s installment of The MMA Hour to respond to the backlash herself. First, Helwani defended Peña from the criticism she’s received and doubled down on his belief that her achievement as the first birth mother to win UFC gold is something to be celebrated.

“Yes, it is, and my words were 1,000% misinterpreted,” Peña said. “I’m not trying to take away from Amanda as a mom-champ by any means. But what I meant to say is, you’re pregnant for 10 months, actually. And your body goes through massive changes. I went to my doctor’s appointment. I was almost 42 weeks pregnant at this point, and they’re like, ‘We gotta get this baby out now! STAT! Right now!’

“They rushed me to the ER. And I got my guts ripped open. I’m literally (lying) on the table and looking at my guts on the side. They gut me like a fish; they stuffed it all back in. If it wasn’t for Mercier Therapy, I wouldn’t have been able to get back into the Octagon. And I think that that process of healing, and taking my actual time to do that Mercier Therapy, and taking the time to heal my body and get to fighting and be able to perform at my peak is a lot. And it says a lot to be able to do that after giving birth.”

In the interview, Peña praised both Amanda and Nina Nunes for being great parents and reiterated that Amanda Nunes is a legitimate mom champ. That said, Peña believes she offers her own unique, inspirational story as a champion.

“And I’m not, by any means, trying to take away from Amanda at all. All I was simply saying is that when I gave birth, I had to put my body through the trenches to get back to this point that I’m at right now. And it’s something that should be celebrated. But I, by no means, want to take away from Amanda’s accomplishments at all. She is an incredible mom-champ. She was an incredible champion. She did so much for the sport. But I am the new champion right now, and that is the light that I want to stay in.”

Julianna Peña is expected to rematch Amanda Nunes sometime in 2022.

What are your thoughts on Julianna Peña’s comments?

Continue Reading Peña Responds To Backlash For Saying She’s The UFC’s 1st Mom Champ at MMA News.

The Pulse of MMA: Fans React To Julianna Peña’s Upset Of Amanda Nunes

The Pulse of MMA: Fan Reactions To The Sport’s Biggest Stories

In this installment of The Pulse of MMA, we look at the raw, unfiltered reactions from MMA fans to the result of UFC 269’s co-main event that saw Julianna Peña upset Amanda Nunes.

Ju…

Julianna Pena

The Pulse of MMA: Fan Reactions To The Sport’s Biggest Stories

In this installment of The Pulse of MMA, we look at the raw, unfiltered reactions from MMA fans to the result of UFC 269’s co-main event that saw Julianna Peña upset Amanda Nunes.

Julianna Peña def. Amanda Nunes via Submission

Amanda Nunes entered the UFC 269 co-main event as a -1000 favorite against Julianna Peña. After a strong first round, Peña would stand and trade with Nunes, getting the better of the “The Lioness,” much to the surprise of the audience in attendance. That shock would then quickly expand when Peña made the victory official with her rear-naked choke submission in the second round.

Here is one look at a stunned crowd’s reaction, including many fighters in attendance who could not believe what they just witnessed.

We also covered fighters’ Twitter reactions to this stunning upset immediately after the event.

But what about The Pulse of MMA? What were the reactions to the fans of our great sport after witnessing such a monumental moment! You can find the raw, unfiltered commentary on the crowning of a new UFC bantamweight champion below.

Want to weigh in on the sport’s biggest stories? Be sure to follow us on Twitter and let your voice be heard!

Continue Reading The Pulse of MMA: Fans React To Julianna Peña’s Upset Of Amanda Nunes at MMA News.

UFC’s Amanda Nunes: ‘I Undoubtedly Accept’ Julianna Pena’s Rematch Fight Offer

Amanda Nunes is ready to jump at the first opportunity to earn her UFC women’s bantamweight championship back from Julianna Pena.  “You guys think I’m…

Amanda Nunes is ready to jump at the first opportunity to earn her UFC women’s bantamweight championship back from Julianna Pena.  “You guys think I’m…

Michael Bisping Thinks Amanda Nunes Wins Julianna Peña Rematch

Michael Bisping likes former UFC bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes’ chances in an immediate rematch against Julianna Peña.

Nunes’ loss to Peña was arguably one of the most shocking upsets in UFC history. After some brief success early on in the fi…

Michael Bisping, Julianna Pena, Amanda Nunes

Michael Bisping likes former UFC bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes’ chances in an immediate rematch against Julianna Peña.

Nunes’ loss to Peña was arguably one of the most shocking upsets in UFC history. After some brief success early on in the fight, Nunes looked gassed in Round 2 and let Peña dictate the pace on the feet. Peña would then secure a big takedown and eventually lock in the submission for the win.

Nunes’ loss to Peña snapped an incredible run in the UFC in which she won titles at both bantamweight and featherweight. The defeat snapped a 12-fight winning streak and was her first loss since UFC 178 against Cat Zingano.

During a recent segment on his YouTube channel, Bisping broke down his thoughts on a Nunes/Peña rematch and what went wrong for Nunes at UFC 269.

“I think she’ll come back and I think she’ll fight Julianna Peña and I think she beats Julianna in a rematch,” Bisping said. “In that first round, she outclassed Julianna. She was the better person, she put her down twice, she controlled her in the clinch, she controlled her on the ground. It was a good round for Nunes but she got tired. She got tired, you could clearly see it. And also she showed a little naivety, she showed a little lack of experience, she showed a little – she didn’t show the best fight I.Q.

“When you’re in a fight – and I’ve been there many times – when you’re in a fight, you’re in the UFC, you go in there and it’s a big fight, a main event or whatever, there’s thousands of people and you’re the f*cking star and things don’t go your way and BANG you get caught with a shot and you’re rocked, what we saw Nunes do – and it’s commendable and the crowd loved it and they’re all screaming and cheering – she just stood there swinging back and forth,” Bisping continued. “What Nunes should have done was be a little bit more crafty. She should have got on her bike, use her footwork to be a little bit more elusive, dance around the octagon a little bit, get your equilibrium back…

“Nunes probably beats her in the rematch. I’m not taking away from what she did. I honestly believe Nunes will beat her in the rematch.”

Amanda Nunes Seems Focused On Julianna Peña Rematch

Just days after her loss to Peña at UFC 269, Nunes took to Instagram to formally accept Dana White’s offer of an immediate rematch.

While Peña stated that she’s certainly interested in a Nunes rematch, she’s also voiced his desire to avenge previous losses to Valentina Shevchenko and Germaine de Randamie.

White has all but confirmed an immediate rematch between Nunes and Peña, and it’s expected to be what’s next in the bantamweight title picture. It’s unclear when it’ll happen, but it seems like a Nunes/Peñarematch is inevitable.

How do you think Julianna Peña vs. Amanda Nunes 2 would play out?

Continue Reading Michael Bisping Thinks Amanda Nunes Wins Julianna Peña Rematch at MMA News.

Amanda Nunes Accepts Immediate Rematch With Julianna Pena

Amanda NunesJust days after her shocking loss to Julianna Pena at UFC 269, former UFC bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes is already thinking rematch. Nunes got off to a strong start against Pena at UFC 269, rocking her with a big right hand that dropped her briefly in the first. But, Pena was able to push the […]

Amanda Nunes

Just days after her shocking loss to Julianna Pena at UFC 269, former UFC bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes is already thinking rematch.

Nunes got off to a strong start against Pena at UFC 269, rocking her with a big right hand that dropped her briefly in the first. But, Pena was able to push the pace in the second round and overwhelm Nunes with strikes, eventually getting the fight to the ground and getting the submission.

It was arguably the biggest UFC upset in the promotion’s history, and certainly the biggest in recent memory. After UFC president Dana White opened the doors to an immediate rematch during his post-fight presser, Nunes accepted the offer through a post on her Instagram page.

“You guys think I’m going to go out unbalanced,” Nunes said. “I undoubtedly accept the rematch. Give me a little time to get my s**t together and I will be back better than ever.”

Amanda Nunes Is Already Thinking About Her Return

Nunes’ loss to Pena was her first defeat since falling to Cat Zingano at UFC 178. She had won 12 fights in a row including earning the bantamweight and featherweight titles and becoming the first woman to defend both simultaneously.

In her octagon interview with Joe Rogan, Nunes mentioned how she felt “checked out” entering the fight, which could’ve impacted her performance. This had been her first bantamweight title defense in nearly two years, and her rivalry with Pena had been in the making for months.

It’s unclear how long Nunes will be out, as there are no reported injuries or health concerns stemming from her fight camp. But, there’s no question that something was off with her game at UFC 269, and a rematch could potentially show the return of the GOAT.

How do you think a Julianna Pena vs. Amanda Nunes rematch would go?

Sonnen: Amanda Nunes “Quit” During “Mental Beating” At UFC 269

Former two-division UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen believes Amanda Nunes’ shocking defeat to Julianna Peña was a “mental beating,” not a physical one.

In one of the biggest upsets in UFC history, Peña secured her place on the bantamweight throne…

Chael Sonnen, Amanda Nunes

Former two-division UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen believes Amanda Nunes’ shocking defeat to Julianna Peña was a “mental beating,” not a physical one.

In one of the biggest upsets in UFC history, Peña secured her place on the bantamweight throne in the final pay-per-view co-main event of the year this past weekend. Heading into the contest, Nunes was unbeaten since 2014, held both the 135-pound and 145-pound titles, and had defeated the likes of Valentina Shevchenko, Cris Cyborg, and Holly Holm across a 12-fight win streak.

Peña, meanwhile, was 2-2 in her last four fights after suffering defeats to Shevchenko and Germain de Randamie. Nevertheless, “The Venezuelan Vixen” boasted unwavering confidence throughout fight week, something that crossed over into the octagon on Saturday night.

After dropping the opening round, Peña came out in the second ready to shock the world. Taking the attack to the “Lioness” on the feet like nobody before her, the 32-year-old rocked the Brazilian and wore her out. After dragging her to the mat with ease, Peña forced the tap in seconds with a rear-naked choke.

Sonnen: “Julianna Was In A Terrible Position”

Very few predicted Nunes’ bantamweight reign would come to an end inside the T-Mobile Arena on December 11. One man that did was former UFC middleweight and light heavyweight Chael Sonnen. The 44-year-old branded the matchup as “the most likely upset” of the former champ’s entire career and a “stylistic disaster” for Nunes.

With his prediction ringing true, Sonnen has discussed the incredible result. The analyst suggested Nunes “quit” against Peña, who he doesn’t believe was in a position where she should have been able to secure a victory at the time.

“I got to tell you man, that was a different fight. We’ve seen upsets before… If you take Mike Tyson vs. Buster Douglas, where Mike is trying to get up and he just can’t beat the count or when Ronda Rousey got her head kicked into the third row but she didn’t want it to happen. This was totally different. Amanda flicked it. That was 100% mental beating, zero percent physical. That submission wasn’t there… That was not a move, that was absolutely not a fighting technique. Julianna was in a terrible position and Amanda quit!” (h/t Sportskeeda)

Off the back of one of the most remarkable underdog successes in the promotion’s history, talk has now turned to what the future holds for both the newly crowned bantamweight queen and the fallen “Lioness.”

While a rematch certainly appears to be the obvious choice, Peña revealed she’s also hoping to get back the losses she suffered against Shevchenko and de Randamie, both of which she believes she had in the bag before making “amateur mistakes.”

If either of those happen, Nunes would seemingly look to defend her featherweight title. Whilst a super-fight with two-time PFL champion Kayla Harrison has likely lost some momentum as a result of Nunes’ defeat, you’d be hard-pressed to find a fan or pundit not interested in seeing the two teammates collide still.

Do you agree with Chael Sonnen? Did Amanda Nunes quit at UFC 269?

Continue Reading Sonnen: Amanda Nunes “Quit” During “Mental Beating” At UFC 269 at MMA News.