Tag: raquel pennington

UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Raquel Pennington believes upcoming challenger Julianna Peña may see the error of her ways soon enough.

Pennington is set to make her first defense of the 135-pound title in the co-main event of Saturday’s UFC 307 pay-per-view, which comes nine months on from her capturing of the vacant belt in Canada to kick off 2024.

Having achieved her championship ambitions, “Rocky” has the chance to solidify her status as divisional queen by stalling the two-time goals of ex-champ Peña.

Their contest and many other notable bouts will go down at the high altitude of Salt Lake City, Utah this weekend. But when it comes to the effect that has, the two co-headliners see things very differently…

Pennington Rejects Peña’s Altitude Claim Ahead Of Utah-Held UFC 307

During a recent interview with MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn, Pennington reacted to some recent remarks regarding the impact of altitude from her opponent on October 5.

Peña opted against heading to Salt Lake City early to acclimate, branding such a move “unnecessary” when she’s in good shape. The champ sees that decision as a “mistake.”

“Just being born and raised in altitude, yeah, I would say that’s a mistake,” Pennington said. “Altitude is not a joke. It really does affect people. You know how many people come here to visit and are like, ‘Oh my gosh, we don’t understand why we’re feeling this or we’re feeling that and we’re just standing here.’ It’s the altitude, and then when you’re pushing your body to the limit, it plays a part.

“I notice a big difference when I go anywhere else. Sometimes I have to really slow down and control my breathing because I feel like I’m actually getting too much air, and I kind of hyperventilate a little bit, so I have to train my breathing a little different,” Pennington continued. “It’s something that I think every athlete should take into consideration, especially if you’re going to go push yourself to the limit.”

“The Venezuelan Vixen” will look to prove that assessment wrong by making good on her prediction of recapturing the bantamweight championship after a fight-week arrival in the “Beehive State.”

Gotta watch your neck around the champ @RockyPMMA aims for her first title defense at #UFC307!

[ Live on @ESPNPlus PPV | Saturday | 10pmET/7pm PT ] pic.twitter.com/594aCkiBY6

— UFC (@ufc) September 30, 2024

• Read More: Raquel Pennington: UFC Staff Told Me They ‘Love’ To See Julianna Peña Get Beat Up

Continue Reading Raquel Pennington Points Out Key ‘Mistake’ Julianna Peña Has Made Ahead Of UFC 307 at MMA News.

UFC bantamweight champion Raquel Pennington is excited to finally settle a long-standing score in her first title defence at UFC 307.

Pennington and Julianna Peña first met back on The Ultimate Fighter many years ago where they were roommates during their time on the series.

After growing to dislike one another, their paths somehow never crossed until this weekend in Salt Lake City.

Though the champion has her own issues with Peña, it would appear that she isn’t the only one.

Raquel Pennington Says Some People At The UFC Are Rooting Against Julianna Peña

In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Pennington explained where some of her dislike of Peña comes from.

The champ believes that her opponent hasn’t always earned the opportunities that she has been given and casts doubts on her credentials.

As noted in the interview, the title challenger doesn’t have a win over anyone on the current roster because she’s been relatively inactive in recent years, aside from her fights with Amanda Nunes.

When Pennington spoke about how the UFC are always looking to put together the biggest fights, she mentioned that some people within the promotion are rooting against her opponent this weekend.

“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?”

Read also: Julianna Peña Gives Defiant Reaction To Underdog Status At UFC 307

Continue Reading Raquel Pennington: UFC Staff Told Me They ‘Love’ To See Julianna Peña Get Beat Up at MMA News.

Julianna Peña recently opened up about her long-standing feud with Raquel Pennington, which has simmered since their days on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) back in 2013.

Many fans might not remember that both Peña and Pennington were part of Team Miesha Tate against Team Ronda Rousey during season 18 of the MMA reality show. Despite both appearing on the show, the two bantamweights never clashed. Now, over a decade later, fate has finally aligned them for a long-awaited showdown inside the Octagon.

“The Venezuelan Vixen” is set to take her second shot at the women’s bantamweight crown when she faces reigning champion Pennington in the co-main event of UFC 307 this Saturday at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Utah, we are back! @AlexPereiraUFC vs @KhalilRountreej AND @RockyPMMA vs @VenezuelanVixen is happening this SATURDAY!

[ B2YB @CryptoCom | #UFC307 ] pic.twitter.com/m8B51kPXQG

— UFC (@ufc) September 30, 2024

Although Peña and Pennington were teammates on The Ultimate Fighter, they were often at odds. Despite their friction, the Washington native went on to win the season with a dominant first-round knockout over Team Rousey’s Jessica Rakoczy, while ‘Rocky’ was forced to withdraw early from the competition due to injury.

Peña Intends To Make Pennington Regret Past Behavior At UFC 307

During a recent interview with SHAK MMA, “The Venezuelan Vixen” reflected on her time during TUF 18, when she and her now rival Pennington were roommates. The former UFC bantamweight champion revealed that she had been nothing but helpful and supportive during their stint but claimed that ‘Rocky’ was consistently rude to her.

“Raquel and I have had our history of little spats,” Peña said. “If you watch The Ultimate Fighter, she was doing things and saying things that I disagreed with, and it gets to be one of those—I don’t know if you saw that Netflix series Worst Roommate Ever—where they just have these like terrible roommates, and I’m like, I’m doing all of your dishes, I’m giving you makeovers, I’m teaching you how to walk like a runway model. Why are you so horrible to me? Why are you making my life a living hell?””

Peña boldly declared that she plans to hold Pennington accountable for her past transgressions and settle their animosity when they clash inside the Octagon at UFC 307 this weekend.

“For me, it’s just one of those things where I would much rather get it over with. This has been 13 years in the making, and it’s time for the worst roommate ever to get their due justice.”

• Read More: Kamaru Usman Honest About Pennington vs. Peña At UFC 307: ‘Looks Like She Doesn’t Wanna Be There…’

Continue Reading Julianna Peña Talks Beef With ‘Worst Roommate Ever’ Raquel Pennington: ‘Thirteen Years In The Making…’ at MMA News.

Kamaru Usman recently shared his thoughts on the Raquel Pennington vs. Julianna Peña championship fight at UFC 307.

Pennington is gearing up to make her first defense of the UFC women’s bantamweight title against former champion Peña. The bout is set to co-headline the highly anticipated pay-per-view event this weekend at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Utah, we are back! @AlexPereiraUFC vs @KhalilRountreej AND @RockyPMMA vs @VenezuelanVixen is happening this SATURDAY!

[ B2YB @CryptoCom | #UFC307 ] pic.twitter.com/m8B51kPXQG

— UFC (@ufc) September 30, 2024

“Rocky” delivered a commanding performance at UFC 297 this past January, decisively defeating Mayra Bueno Silva to capture the vacant 135-pound title. The belt had been left up for grabs after former two-division champion Amanda Nunes retired following her one-sided rematch victory over Peña at UFC 277 in July 2022.

Meanwhile, “The Venezuelan Vixen” is set to make her long-awaited return to the Octagon after a two-year absence. Peña made UFC history as the only woman to defeat Nunes, submitting ‘The Lioness’ at UFC 269 in December 2021. However, her reign was short-lived, with Nunes reclaiming the bantamweight crown just seven months later.

Usman Predicts Peña Will Test Pennington But Favors ‘Rocky’ To Retain Her Title

During a recent episode of the Pound 4 Pound podcast, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ weighed in on the Pennington vs. Peña title clash at UFC 307. Usman noted that the defending champion has appeared a bit lackluster in her previous outings, whereas the challenger possesses the resilience that could turn this into a very interesting contest.

“I think Julianna Peña is a complete dog,” Usman said. “But I just think Raquel Pennington is a little bit too solid. She does have a couple of fights where she comes in and looks like she doesn’t really want to be there sometimes, and I know that’s in the past. I’m hoping that stays in the past because Raquel Pennington, the bantamweight champion now, once you become that champion, you get that extra ‘umph’ behind you knowing that you are the best in the world.”

The former UFC welterweight champion further expressed his confidence that “Rocky” will emerge as a more well-rounded fighter when facing the formidable Peña. Usman predicted that while “The Venezuelan Vixen” will undoubtedly present Pennington with one of her toughest challenges yet, the reigning champion will ultimately hold on to her title.

“She’s [Pennington] just a little too solid with her stand-up, with her Muay Thai, her knees—just really solid there in the clinch. Because I’m telling you right now, Julianna Peña does really good work there… Raquel Pennington has shown that she can be good in those types of positions, so I’m gonna have to go with Raquel Pennington here, even though Julianna Peña is a complete dog, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she comes in and pulls off that upset.”

• Read More: VIDEO: UFC 307 Countdown Episode Ahead Of Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree & Raquel Pennington vs. Julianna Peña

Continue Reading Kamaru Usman Honest About Pennington vs. Peña At UFC 307: ‘Looks Like She Doesn’t Wanna Be There…’ at MMA News.

Kamaru Usman recently shared his thoughts on the Raquel Pennington vs. Julianna Peña championship fight at UFC 307.

Pennington is gearing up to make her first defense of the UFC women’s bantamweight title against former champion Peña. The bout is set to co-headline the highly anticipated pay-per-view event this weekend at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Utah, we are back! @AlexPereiraUFC vs @KhalilRountreej AND @RockyPMMA vs @VenezuelanVixen is happening this SATURDAY!

[ B2YB @CryptoCom | #UFC307 ] pic.twitter.com/m8B51kPXQG

— UFC (@ufc) September 30, 2024

“Rocky” delivered a commanding performance at UFC 297 this past January, decisively defeating Mayra Bueno Silva to capture the vacant 135-pound title. The belt had been left up for grabs after former two-division champion Amanda Nunes retired following her one-sided rematch victory over Peña at UFC 277 in July 2022.

Meanwhile, “The Venezuelan Vixen” is set to make her long-awaited return to the Octagon after a two-year absence. Peña made UFC history as the only woman to defeat Nunes, submitting ‘The Lioness’ at UFC 269 in December 2021. However, her reign was short-lived, with Nunes reclaiming the bantamweight crown just seven months later.

Usman Predicts Peña Will Test Pennington But Favors ‘Rocky’ To Retain Her Title

During a recent episode of the Pound 4 Pound podcast, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ weighed in on the Pennington vs. Peña title clash at UFC 307. Usman noted that the defending champion has appeared a bit lackluster in her previous outings, whereas the challenger possesses the resilience that could turn this into a very interesting contest.

“I think Julianna Peña is a complete dog,” Usman said. “But I just think Raquel Pennington is a little bit too solid. She does have a couple of fights where she comes in and looks like she doesn’t really want to be there sometimes, and I know that’s in the past. I’m hoping that stays in the past because Raquel Pennington, the bantamweight champion now, once you become that champion, you get that extra ‘umph’ behind you knowing that you are the best in the world.”

The former UFC welterweight champion further expressed his confidence that “Rocky” will emerge as a more well-rounded fighter when facing the formidable Peña. Usman predicted that while “The Venezuelan Vixen” will undoubtedly present Pennington with one of her toughest challenges yet, the reigning champion will ultimately hold on to her title.

“She’s [Pennington] just a little too solid with her stand-up, with her Muay Thai, her knees—just really solid there in the clinch. Because I’m telling you right now, Julianna Peña does really good work there… Raquel Pennington has shown that she can be good in those types of positions, so I’m gonna have to go with Raquel Pennington here, even though Julianna Peña is a complete dog, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she comes in and pulls off that upset.”

• Read More: VIDEO: UFC 307 Countdown Episode Ahead Of Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree & Raquel Pennington vs. Julianna Peña

Continue Reading Kamaru Usman Honest About Pennington vs. Peña At UFC 307: ‘Looks Like She Doesn’t Wanna Be There…’ at MMA News.