Julianna Pena, a UFC fighter who has faced some of the best female athletes in MMA, is most excited about competing against her next potential opponent.
The current UFC bantamweight champion hasn’t officially scheduled a fight with Kayla Harrison, the top contender. However, it seems likely that this highly anticipated match will happen. Pena recently regained her title at UFC 307 in October, and Harrison also won against Ketlen Vieira at the same event, positioning her for a shot at the championship.
During a podcast appearance, Pena was asked if she wanted to avenge her losses against Amanda Nunes, Valentina Shevchenko, and Germaine de Randamie. She clearly stated that defeating Harrison would be her biggest accomplishment.
“Kayla Harrison, definitely,” Pena said. “Because it’s new and relevant. I don’t want to dwell on the past. I want to move forward, and Kayla Harrison is who I’m focused on. She’s my target, my goal, and beating her would mean the most to me.”
Pena added, “This isn’t new territory for me. I was a significant underdog against Amanda Nunes, and the odds against Harrison are similar, which is fine.”
This statement might surprise some, as Pena has often called for Nunes to come out of retirement for a third fight. Pena famously upset Nunes to win her first title in December 2021 but lost it back to Nunes seven months later. While Nunes has hinted at a possible return, she seems content staying retired for now.
Pena seems to have shifted her focus from Nunes to Harrison, although she mentions that negotiations are still needed before their fight becomes official.
“Everyone expects us to fight,” Pena said. “It’s considered the biggest fight in women’s MMA history, and it’s going to be exciting and highly anticipated. It’s no secret that Kayla and I are expected to fight.”
“The date and location haven’t been announced yet. There are still details to finalize, like contracts and venues, to ensure the fight happens. But who I’m fighting is not a secret; it’s clearly Kayla.”
According to betting odds, Pena is a significant underdog against Harrison. However, Pena isn’t bothered by this, as she feels often underestimated despite being a two-time UFC champion.
She suggests that the reason for being an underdog is that she might not be the most technically perfect fighter. She explained, “Maybe I’m not the most technically skilled. I didn’t start martial arts until I was 19, unlike others who trained from a young age. I might lack the traditional experience.”
“But I have a unique quality: my mindset and mental toughness. I believe in myself and don’t limit what I can achieve. I have always believed I can succeed. This mental resilience, that ‘I’ll keep coming at you no matter what,’ is hard to defeat. When you give it your all and your opponent just asks for more, it’s mentally draining for them. I’m like the Terminator; you’d have to literally stop me completely to make me quit. I believe this attitude of never giving up is why I’ve had any success. I might get knocked down, but you have to be ready for what I do next. I might get taken down, but you’ll have to worry about my counter-attacks because I won’t stay down.”
