‘Classy’ Pena Wanted To ‘Storm The Cage’ At UFC 289

Julianna Pena showed some restraint at UFC 289 this past weekend (June 10, 2023).

One of the best fighters in mixed martial arts (MMA) history called it a career after UFC’s most recent pay-per-view (PPV) event. After Amanda Nunes’ successful Bantamweight title defense against Irene Aldana by unanimous decision, the two-division UFC champion announced her retirement from the sport.

Sitting cageside for the action, Pena was initially supposed to be taking on Nunes in what would have been their trilogy bout. Unfortunately for the former champion, Pena suffered a rib injury that forced her from the bout, costing her the final chance she’d have had against Nunes. To say she was upset about how everything turned out would be putting it mildly.

“There was a part of me that really wanted to storm the cage,” Pena told The MMA Hour. “I had so many people that were like, ‘Yes, we’ll do it, we’ll throw you over the gate.’ But then my coach, Wayne, was like, ‘Don’t do it. Be classy and don’t do it.’ So, I let her have my moment, but it was really difficult for me because there were so many times where my urge was to go. Like, now’s the time, go, go, go. But at the end of the day, she retired off into the sunset, she’s dead to me at this point.

“You just gotta keep the division moving and now we’re stepping into day one of the ‘Pena Power Era.’ I’m the synthetic champ, I’ve always been champ in my heart and in my head. I wake up every day being like, ‘Good morning, champ. You look good.’ So, it’s just a matter of time before the belt’s around my waist again.”

Pena will go down as the last person to have defeated Nunes in “The Lionness’” illustrious 28-fight career (23-5). Scoring a second round rear-naked choke in Dec. 2021 (watch highlights), Pena fell short in the pair’s rematch this past August 2022 via a one-sided unanimous decision (watch highlights).

With the UFC women’s Bantamweight title now vacant, Pena vs. the No. 2-ranked contender, Raquel Pennington, looks like the likely next bout atop the division.

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For complete UFC 289 results, coverage and highlights click HERE.