Former Undisputed Bantamweight Champion Juliana Peña Former Bantamweight Champion Amanda Nunes is “dead” after the Brazilian retired from active competition at UFC 289 over the weekend – depriving her of a triple rubber stamp.
Former undisputed bantamweight champion and current #1 bantamweight contender, Peña pulled off a stunning win against Bahia native, Nunes again in December 2021, delivering the former second division champion with a huge upset win, landing a second round back-to-back disgrace choke win.
Back in July of last year atop the UFC 277 pay-per-view event, Julianna Pena would suffer a massive one-sided unanimous decision loss in the pair’s instant title rematch – after serving as opposing coaches. 30- Death.
Tentatively scheduled to headline UFC 289 against Nunes over the weekend in Canada, Peña was forced out of a three-way title bout after suffering broken ribs, leading to an impromptu pairing of Nunes and Irene Aldana.
Nunes successfully defended her super bantamweight crown in a one-sided arbitration victory against Aldana, and would announce her immediate retirement from mixed martial arts competition, leaving the in-ring Pena high and dry regarding a possible future three-way rubber match.
Juliana Peña has also called herself the greatest fighter of all time
Declaring herself the greatest fighter of all time after Nunes’ retirement, Peña, a Washington native, revealed that the Brazilian is now “dead” in the wake of her exit from the sport.
“At the end of the day, she (Amanda Nunes) is retired, she’s out in the sunset, she’s dead to me at this point, and we just have to keep the department moving,” said Juliana Peña. Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. “Now, we’re entering day one of the ‘Penya Power’ era. I am the champ, I’ve always been the champ in my heart and in my head. … It’s only a matter of time before the belt goes around my waist again.”
Offered his way back to the title In the immediate aftermath of UFC 289, Peña was offered a fight by former title challenger, Raquel Pennington, while the flyweight contender stepped up, Erin Blanchfield reportedly balancing a split move in a vacant title fight with Peña.