Julianna Pena previews the UFC 307 title fight with “Rocky” Pennington

Ahead of UFC 307, bantamweight champion Raquel Pennington remains a slight to moderate favorite over challenger Julianna Pena, with about two-thirds of Tapology users in Salt Lake City choosing “And Still.”

These lines aren’t necessarily a surprise considering Pena hasn’t competed since dropping the title to Amanda Nunes in a rather one-sided loss in July 2022.

However, “The Venezuelan Vixen” believes she won’t be affected by the dreaded “ring rust” that comes from such a long period of inactivity, telling Megan Olivi on ESPN MMA that fighting is just like riding a bike.

“It feels like riding a bike when you know how to ride a bike, you know how to ride a bike, and I know how to fight… I’m just waiting for the cage door to close so I can get down to business.”

“I’ve become a little more patient (since the Nunes rematch), instead of trying to play the ruthless, crazy, wild banshee, I’m going to be a little more patient in the way I fight.”

Pennington remains the betting favorite over Pena, having defeated Mayra Bueno Silva with an impressive unanimous decision in the first PPV of the year.

Unsurprisingly, Pena believes “Rocky” will try to extend the title fight to the championship rounds once again, although she warned the champion not to overlook her upgraded gas tank.

“I think she (Pennington) is going to kick me a lot, she’s going to try to make a point spar and run around and try to stay as far away from me as possible…The last fight I had against Amanda was the first one I fought for 25 minutes, that was definitely something new for me.

“In preparation for this fight, I definitely doubled up on cardio to make sure I could easily last 25 minutes,” explained Pena, who is 10-5 as a pro and 7-3 in the UFC; with two wins by KO/TKO, two by submission and three by the judges’ scorecards.

The popular bantamweight star didn’t go so far as to predict she would reach the finish in Utah, but admitted she is willing to kill to win back the bantamweight title.

“I knew I had to be patient and wait for my chance. I’ve had to take a break before due to injuries and having a baby – this is nothing new for me… When they gave me this chance and said it was time, I’m ready to seize this moment and kill for it .

“I don’t know how, I don’t know when, I’m not Nostradamus, I don’t have a crystal ball; All I know is that I will literally kill (Pennington) and give anything to get my hand raised.”

Julianna Pena believes winning at UFC 307 will lure the GWOAT out of retirement

If she regains her title and promotion newcomer Kayla Harrison also scores a big win against Ketlen Viera earlier in the evening, the UFC will likely push to match Harrison against Pena next.

However, Pena herself is hoping that a statement win could lure history’s greatest fighter, Amanda Nunes, out of retirement to take part in the “biggest women’s fight in UFC history.”

“Sure (a fight against Kayla would be huge), but I hope Amanda wants to come out of retirement,” Pena told MMA Junkie.

“I bet she’ll be there watching intently, and I don’t think she’s as beat up as she says she is.

“I think she misses sports; I think she doesn’t know what to do with herself now that she’s not fighting, and I think there’s a little green jealous monster inside her that says I can go back there and do that.”

While the goal for this weekend is to regain her championship, the long-term goal remains the same: “Get Amanda back in the Octagon and this will be the greatest women’s fight in UFC history.”

Ironically, these comments didn’t sit well with Harrison, who claimed that Pena was just “trying to avoid the inevitable.”

UFC 307 takes place live this weekend in Salt Lake City, Utah.

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