Chael Sonnen claims Amanda Nunes ‘quit’ against Julianna Pena at UFC 269, says loss was ‘100 percent mental’

By Cole Shelton - December 13, 2021

Chael Sonnen believes Amanda Nunes quit against Julianna Pena at UFC 269.

Julianna Pena, Amanda Nunes

In the lead-up to UFC 269, Sonnen was one of the few analysts that were picking Pena to pull off the massive upset against Nunes. Many expected the Brazilian to run through Pena and in the first round it was looking like it would be that way.

Yet, Pena began outstriking Nunes and appeared to stun her a few times. Pena then got the fight to the ground and quickly got ahold of Nunes’ back before submitting her. It was a quick tap and Sonnen believes that is due to the fact the champ-champ quit.

“I can’t believe I got Peña right either,” Sonnen said about Nunes-Pena at UFC 269 (via MMAJunkie). “I got to tell you, man, that was a different fight. Like, we’ve seen upsets before. Even if you take Mike Tyson vs. Buster Douglas where Mike is trying to get up, and he just can’t beat the count or when Ronda Rousey got her head kicked into the third row, but she didn’t want it to happen. This was totally different. Amanda flicked it. That was 100 percent mental beating, zero percent physical. That submission wasn’t there.

“That was not a move. That was absolutely not a fighting technique,” Sonnen continued about Nunes-Pena. “Julianna was in a terrible position, and Amanda quit. That’s OK. Everybody goes through that at some point. I only point that out not to kick her, I point that out because that’s what the surprise was. If she got kicked like Ronda did or knocked out like Mike did, we just chalk it up to a big upset and a glorious night. To mentally check out and hand it all back in only seven minutes, a bit of a surprise.”

Although Sonnen thinks Nunes quit, the good news for the Brazilian is she will likely get an immediate rematch against Pena.

Do you agree with Chael Sonnen that Amanda Nunes quit against Julianna Pena?


Topics:

Amanda Nunes Chael Sonnen Julianna Pena UFC