UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña believes there’s a stark difference in the male and female motivation for fighting.
For the past 13 years, Peña has competed as a professional mixed martial artist. Having been through the ups and downs of the sport, “The Venezuelan Vixen” currently finds herself at the top of the mountain, having won the 135-pound title on MMA’s biggest stage last December.
At UFC 269, Peña seemingly did the impossible, ending the dominant two-weight rule of Amanda Nunes. But despite experiencing the glory and inevitable fame of holding a UFC championship, Peña fights for different reasons.
While the men battle for fame and wealth, the bantamweight queen says she and her fellow female fighters enter the cage for “empowerment.”
“Women are here to stay. We are, I think, fighting to empower ourselves as women. Maybe men might wanna fight for rich(es), or (to be) famous, or to impress people, but women, we fight for different reasons,” Peña suggested during an appearance on My Mom’s Basement with Robbie Fox. “I think one of those reasons is empowering ourselves, taking control of our own lives, and feeling empowered, like, ‘We can do it.’ That’s one thing I love about women’s fighting.”
Peña went on to admit that her initial venture into mixed martial arts came from a need to lose weight. But after seeing how her fights inspire other girls, notably her daughter, the champ now has another reason to lace up the gloves.
“Fo me, when I was coming up, I didn’t take into consideration what it is that I was doing. I didn’t join mixed martial arts to empower myself. I just kind of got into it because I needed to lose some weight,” said Peña. “However, over the years, I’m realizing, there’s other little girls that are looking up to you, there are other little girls that wanna be in your shoes, and wanna do what you’re doing.
“That, to me, is empowering. That is motivation to wanna continue to give it my all, especially now that I have a daughter and that she’s looking up to me… I want to let her know, anything is possible, you just have to believe in yourself,” concluded Peña.
For Peña to continue inspiring others from the bantamweight throne, she’ll have to repeat the remarkable feat that she accomplished at 2021’s final pay-per-view. Following the culmination of this year’s season of The Ultimate Fighter, “The Venezuelan Vixen” will share the Octagon with consensus female GOAT Nunes for the second time.
While she’s once again being regarded as the underdog, it’s safe to say that not many are totally counting out Peña’s chances after the way she shocked the world last time out.
Do you agree with Julianna Peña?
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