"I can’t wait to get my belt back" - Amanda Nunes prepared to get the bantamweight division "going again" with Julianna Pena rematch
Former longtime UFC women's bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes has some fighting words for her rival Julianna Pena.
'The Lioness' took to social media to call Pena out, saying she's "more than excited" to run it back with the newly-crowned champ. Nunes was clearly fired-up as she issued an ominous warning on Twitter that read:
"Let’s go Julie @VenezuelanVixen I can’t wait to get my belt back and get this division going again. @danawhite More than excited for this."
Check out Amanda Nunes' tweet:
Let’s go Julie @VenezuelanVixen I can’t wait to get my belt back and get this division going again. @danawhite More than excited for this. 🦁
Nunes and Pena first crossed paths in the co-main event of UFC 269 last December. In one of the most shocking upsets in UFC history, Pena – who closed as a +700 underdog – shattered the odds when she choked out the consensus women's GOAT (greatest of all time) to pull off a come-from-behind win.
The rivals are expected to fight once again sometime this year. But first, they will appear as opposing coaches for Season 30 of hit reality series The Ultimate Fighter (TUF 30). The UFC has officially announced that the show will stream on ESPN+ starting May 3 this year.
Pena, of course, is a product of TUF herself. She earned a coveted UFC contract by winning Season 18 of the show.
Julianna Pena takes a dig at Amanda Nunes
Julianna Pena recently fired shots at Amanda Nunes during an interview with The Schmo. 'The Venezuelan Vixen' believes Nunes' remaining title is meaningless, considering that women's featherweight is an inactive division. The reigning queen of bantamweights said:
“Let’s talk about this for a second. So Holly [Holm] and Germaine [de Randamie[ both said that they’re not going back to featherweight at 145 and they’re going to stay true bantamweights at 135. Megan Anderson retired. Felicia Spencer retired. Can you name anybody else in the division other than Amanda? She's a champ in the '45 division of who? She says that she’s still, you know, the champ of a division of one person. So that’s nice."
Check out Julianna Pena's interview with The Schmo:
The last time Nunes defended the 145-pound crown was against Megan Anderson at UFC 259 last year. However, 'The Lioness' is the only one currently listed under the division's roster.