Julianna Pena’s brief reign as bantamweight queen is over.
At UFC 277 last night (Sat., July 30, 2022), Amanda Nunes reclaimed the women’s 135-pound belt with a powerful performance that saw “The Lioness” knock Pena down multiple times early in their fight (watch highlights here). There was no finish though, just 25 minutes of punishment that would require a trip to the plastic surgeon for Pena.
UFC President Dana White shared the details during the UFC 277 post-fight press conference (watch it here).
“Yeah, Juliana’s missing a big chunk of her forehead,” White said. “He will now go to a plastic surgeon. Take some time to heal and then I don’t know. She was pretty screwed tonight. It was like five or six knockdowns in the first two rounds. She was hurt. She needs to take some time off and relax, spend some time with her daughter and then we’ll go from there.’
The one word that kept coming up in White’s review of the fight was “dominant.”
“I thought he was completely dominant,” he said. “There were five knockdowns in the first two rounds… There’s a big difference between submission attempts and knockdowns. It’s not even comparable.
“I think two things: Giuliana is tough as nails and her will to win is unparalleled,” he continued. “I mean, she wanted to win. I think as dominant as Amanda was – and she was dominant, I didn’t think she was close in any way shape or form, it was a total turn off – she still seemed a little shy to me. But going up against a guy who beat you the first time, I can see that happening. But it’s silly to even say it, it was an absolutely dominant performance.”
White speculated that Nunes was being extra careful to make sure she didn’t suddenly run out of gas like she did in her first fight against Pena, which resulted in her losing by choke in the second round.
“Yeah, I think she was probably concerned about her cardio,” he said. “Because when you think about the way she fights Cyborg, she usually comes in and throws tons of punches. She hurt Juliana many times, drove her crazy a few times, and never got around to killing.”
While White agreed that Nunes has earned some time off, he also teased that a third fight with women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko could be next.
Looks like Amanda decided to copy my stand up game completely. Great fight both ladies! #UFC277
— Valentina Shevchenko (@BulletValentina) July 31, 2022
“Yeah, that’s not a bad idea,” White said when the match was proposed. “Normally I’d be like, ‘Come on, man.’ That’s not a bad idea. I mean, really, when you think about it. I’m not saying yes, I’m just saying it’s not a bad idea.’
To check out the latest and greatest news and notes from UFC 277: “Pena vs. Nunes 2,” be sure to check out our comprehensive event archive right here.
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