Julianna Pena is not the only fighter hoping Amanda Nunes comes out of retirement for one last fight
Amanda Nunes hung up her gloves for good after defending her bantamweight strap against Irene Aldana at UFC 289 in June. The women's MMA GOAT won 14 of her last 15 fights, losing the strap just to Julianna Pena during this stint, only to win it back in an immediate rematch.
Pena wasn't thrilled about Nunes' abrupt retirement and voiced her feelings in not-so-polite words. 'The Venezuelan Vixen,' however, isn't the only one hopeful of Nunes ending her retirement.
Former two-time PFL women's lightweight champ Kayla Harrison also had mixed feelings about Nunes' retirement. Harrison believes that many of her comments and callouts to 'The Lioness' in the past weren't received the way she intended them to be. While she couldn't test herself against the WMMA GOAT, Harrison will be thrilled to welcome her back to the octagon if he returns. Harrison recently told TMZ Sports:
"Yeah, for sure. I mean, you know, I have a lot of mixed emotions about her retiring. Number 1) I'm happy for her and sad for me. It's tough because I feel like everything that I said wasn't received the way I intended it to be received...[To welcome her in a potential return fight] Open arms, open arms."
Catch Harrison's comments below:
Julianna Pena's comments on Amanda Nunes' retirement
Julianna Pena submitted Amanda Nunes in the second round of their first meeting at UFC 269, snapping Nunes' 12-fight winning streak in one of the greatest upsets in the history of combat sports. Nunes avenged her loss in a rematch half a year later at UFC 277, absolutely battering Pena en route to a lopsided decision win.
Pena was plotting a trilogy clash against Nunes when 'The Lioness' somewhat unexpectedly announced her retirement. Much to the ire of fans, 'The Venezuelan Vixen' then went off on Amanda Nunes, accusing the GOAT of being a 'coward'. Pena said in an interview with TMZ Sports:
"There’s unfinished business and listen, the reality is that Amanda retired. She had a great career, but let’s call a spade a spade. She’s a coward. From the very beginning, the UFC told me that she didn’t want to fight me, and that’s why it took so long for them to make the trilogy."
Catch Pena's comments below: