Julianna Peña may have lost her title at UFC 277, but she clearly didn’t lose the desire to see Amanda Nunes against standing across the cage from her.
Just one week removed from falling to Nunes in a lopsided decision, Peña was still fired up as she called for a trilogy with her record 1-1 against arguably the greatest women’s fighter in MMA history.
“I’m ready to go round 8 right now,” Peña said during the UFC Vegas 59 post-fight show. “Like let’s freaking go. I’m here. Where you at, Amanda?
“Amanda, seriously, where are you at? You left your girl hanging out there. I showed up for Team Peña. She didn’t show up for Team Nunes. I’m here, I’m ready to go round 8.”
Peña appeared at the event on Saturday night in support of her team after coaching against Nunes on The Ultimate Fighter 30. Both reality show titles ultimately went to Team Peña fighters Mohammed Usman and Juliana Miller, while Nunes’ lone representative, Brogan Walker, fell by third round stoppage.
As for the “round 8” comment, Peña finished Nunes in the second round during their first encounter this past December as she claimed the UFC bantamweight title. Nunes then got her revenge with the unanimous decision in the rematch.
Peña promises she’s got plenty more to dish out if she gets her wish for the trilogy.
“When somebody has entirely revamped and completely switched their entire stance and their entire fighting style because of me? I take that as a compliment,” Peña said about Nunes after their rematch. “I think if you give me time to get ready for both stances of Amanda, she doesn’t touch me next time.”
While Peña absorbed a lot of punishment over 25 minutes, she didn’t look any worse for wear during her appearance at the UFC APEX and seemed ready to start another training camp as soon as possible.
If Peña gets her way, she’ll draw Nunes before 2022 concludes, which means the fighters will step back in the cage against each other within the next four months.
“I’m just really, really hoping that she heals up and she’s able to get back in there before the end of the year,” Peña said. “Because I’ll absolutely be ready for that trilogy fight.”
Following the rematch in Dallas, Nunes anxiously awaited time off to spend with her friends and family in Brazil after the global pandemic prevented her from traveling home for the past couple of years.
Judging by that statement, it seems unlikely Nunes will want to fight again before the year is over. But Peña is more than willing to call for the challenge if the UFC is looking to book the trilogy in the near future.