Julianna Pena Holding Out Hope for Amanda Nunes Rubber Match

Julianna Pena wants to defend her title against Amanda Nunes if she dethrones Raquel Pennington at UFC 307.

Pena (11-5) will challenge Pennington (16-8) for the women’s bantamweight title in the UFC 307 co-main event on Oct. 5 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The same card also features a potential title eliminator between Ketlen Vieira (14-3) and Kayla Harrison (17-1). Pena claims to know that the winner of Vieira vs. Harrison has been promised the next title shot against the winner of her clash against Pennington.

“I don’t think, I know. I know for a fact that they told whoever is going to be the winner of that fight will face me for the belt,” Pena told MMA Junkie. “And that will be my title defense. So yes, that’s exactly what’s happening.”

Vieira is 1-3 in her last four, having only dropped a razor-thin split decision against Pennington in January 2023. Meanwhile, former Professional Fighters League champ and two-time Olympic gold medallist Harrison made her Octagon debut with a submission win over Holly Holm in April.

However, Pena would prefer a trilogy clash against former foe Nunes for her first title defense if she beats Pennington. Pena became champ with a submission win over Nunes in their first meeting at UFC 269 in 2021, marking one of the greatest upsets in the MMA history. She then lost her title via a lopsided unanimous decision in their rematch at UFC 277. While a rubber match was scheduled for UFC 289 in 2023, Pena pulled out due to a broken rib sustained in sparring, which has since sidelined her. Nunes went on to beat short-notice replacement Irene Aldana via unanimous decision and then left her gloves in the cage.

UFC 307: Pereira vs. Rountree Jr. Saturday at 10 ET on ESPN+. Order Now!
Pena has consistently been trying to coax Nunes out of retirement. “The Lioness” has also made clear that she misses fighting, although she hasn’t said anything definitive about returning. Pena reiterated her interest in a trilogy fight against Nunes, over a potential clash against Harrison.

“I’m hoping that Amanda will want to come out of retirement, and I’m willing to bet that she will be there, and she’ll be watching very intently. And I don’t believe that she truly is as done as she claims as she is. I think that she misses the sport, I think that she doesn’t know what to do with herself now that she’s not fighting and I think that there will be a little green, envious monster in her saying that, ‘I can go back there. I can do this.’ Her thinking she can beat me. So, I know she probably feels that she doesn’t have anything to prove against me. I know that she particularly is not fond of Kayla more than she is not fond of me. But my goal will be to get Amanda to get back inside the octagon with me, and that will be the biggest women’s fight in UFC history.”