Amanda Nunes discusses Julianna Pena’s lack of trash talk on The Ultimate Fighter: “Don’t you talk online?”

UFC featherweight champion Amanda Nunes had an interesting experience with Julianna Pena on The Ultimate Fighter.

‘The Lioness’ faced Pena back at UFC 269 in December 2021. The latter wound up springing the upset, winning via second-round submission. With the victory, Pena had handed Nunes her first loss in seven years and earned the bantamweight title.

The two are now set to clash in a rematch at UFC 277 in July. They were also given the opportunity to coach The Ultimate Fighter season 30, which is airing right now. Noticeably absent from the series is a lot of trash talk, which was expected going in.

Many expected Julianna Pena to trash talk on the show, but it hasn’t really happened. In addition to surprising many fans, it also surprised Amanda Nunes. ‘The Lioness’ discussed her time on the show on the Trocação Franca podcast.

PhotoCred: Rolling Stone

“Since Julianna was talking a lot, being the trash talker she is, I thought she would really bring that to TUF, but it didn’t go as I expected. She was cool, completely different from who she really is. I don’t know if she was faking it because it would air on TV and she doesn’t want bad publicity. She’s too much, and everything’s full of Julianna already – imagine if she’s the way she [really] is on TUF. I think it wouldn’t be good for her, so I think she held back a little bit.” (h/t MMAFighting)

“I don’t know if she was used to seeing me all the time and that’s why she pumped the brakes on that stuff, I even told her, ‘Don’t you talk online? I’m in front of you now, open your mouth.’ But it was cool. [Normally] I don’t talk too much but I asked her, ‘What’s up?’ That’s what TUF is all about, it’s a reality [show] and people want drama.”

What do you think about Amanda Nunes’s comments? Do you think she beats Julianna Pena in their rematch?