Julianna Pena expects Amanda Nunes to defeat Ronda Rousey

Julianna Pena has been on a tear of the women’s bantamweight division as of late, going on a 4-fight win streak that has seen her go on a 4-fight win streak over the course of the past 3 years.

After winning ‘The Ultimate Fighter: Season 18’, Pena was forced to take two years away from competition. In her return fight back in the Octagon at ‘UFC Fight Night: Fairfax’, Pena picked up an impressive TKO win over Milana Dudieva to earn herself a performance of the night bonus.

Since then, Pena has continued her win streak, adding two more wins to her already impressive UFC resume as she picked up back to back unanimous decision wins over Jessica Eye & most recently Cat Zingano at UFC 200.

Prior to news surfacing that former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey would be returning to the Octagon at UFC 207 to fight Amanda Nunes, Pena was attempting to secure herself a fight with Rousey.

On the heels of the Rousey vs. Pena announcement, Nunes spoke to FloCombat to discuss Rousey’s return, as well as her future plans:

“Ronda is clearly not the worst fighter on the roster, (but) what I was trying to convey was that I think she’s in the worst position on the roster,” Pena said. “She’s coming off a devastating knockout to ‘Harmless’ Holly and hasn’t competed in 11 months. Meanwhile, the title has changed hands multiple times and the landscape has changed dramatically while she’s been away.

“I respect her qualities and what she’s done for the division, but she was knocked off the perch that was given to her, and I believe she should have to earn her way back to the top.”

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“I will await the winner [of Nunes vs Rousey] and I’m just going to do what makes most sense to me and try to set myself up the best I can as a fighter,” she continued. “I want to fight high-level competition. I want to fight girls that haven’t lost and I want to fight the best in the world.

“I want to fight girls that have records and that aren’t just 1-0. Whatever the best decision is we will do, but until then, I will be waiting in the wings until we can find something better.”

In regards to her prediction for the fight, Pena said:

“I think Amanda Nunes is probably going to knock her out again, but we will see how that goes.”