Rival accuses Amanda of 'running away': 'Be a real champion'

J. Peña (photo) exchanged barbs with champion A. Nunes. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC

Current fifth place in the official ranking of the UFC women's bantamweight division, Julianna Pena once again accused the category champion, the Brazilian Amanda nunes, of avoiding big challenges while waiting for a fight with the former title holder Ronda Rousey.

Amanda won the belt in July this year, at UFC 200, when she submitted Miesha Tate still in the first round. Two months after the triumph, the Brazilian still has no idea when she will defend her first title.

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In a text published on her Instagram account, Julianna said she understood Amanda's reasons, but even so, she criticized the Brazilian. “Amanda is running away from me! She is waiting to fight Ronda. Fight me! I don't blame her. Ronda is the easiest fight in the division right now. She's broken. It would be easy money for Amanda,” she pondered.

However, Peña highlighted that, in his opinion, the posture presented by Amanda is different from that seen in the two previous champions, Holly holm e Miesha Tate, who defended their titles shortly after winning. “Amanda stands aside as the champion when every girl before her hasn't done it! Holly and Miesha are real fighters. They didn't wait. They didn't hide their belts waiting for a payout. They fought, they acted like a true champion should act. They looked at the toughest girl in line and fought. That's how Amanda got her chance!” she recalled.

More than that, the “Venezuela Shrew”, as she is known, believes that the Brazilian's attitude could deprive women's MMA of great fights. “If everyone had waited for Ronda, we wouldn't have had Holly x Miesha and that dramatic ending that will be remembered for years. We wouldn't have had Miesha x Amanda headlining the historic UFC 200. Nothing said would have happened. Now, we have the chance to fight in the first event in New York and you want to wait? Be a real champion, enter the cage and prove that you are the champion”, she said.

Peña, 27 years old, has been unbeaten in the UFC, with four wins in four fights. In his last fight, also at UFC 200, he beat the former challenger for the belt Zingano cat.

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