Julianna Peña believes fans are being “force-fed” to watch the Raquel Pennington vs. Mayra Bueno Silva fight at UFC 297. Despite this, Peña said she’s hoping Silva will win the fight and face her, stressing their current feud would make their future fight more interesting for viewers.
To recall, Peña made a negative remark about Silva and nicknamed the latter CHEATara after failing a drug test, saying the Brazilian “had to cheat in order to get it done.” Silva didn’t take this lightly, promising a future sight against Peña, whom she would not knock out easily but would punish in all five rounds.
“She is funny, but I promise you, I promise that I don’t go to finish [Peña], I don’t go to knock her out, I will smash Julianna for five rounds,” Silva told MMA Fighting in August. “She needs help, your coach will have to throw the towel in the octagon, because I will smash her for five rounds. I promise.”
With this, despite expressing discontent over the Pennington-Bueno fight in January, Peña ensured fans that she would come back and fight the winner, whom she likes to be Silva.
“Here’s the thing: At least Mayra is like a dance partner, you know what I mean?” Peña told MMA Junkie. “And the point of the banter (and) back-and-forth is so that I can have a dance partner, so that I can make it more exciting so that people are going to want to watch. With Mayra, I have that in her because she’s got a mouth, I’ve got a mouth, and we can go back and forth. With Raquel, it’s kind of like crickets. For me, it’d be better if Mayra wins so that way we can make it more exciting for all of you guys.”
Peña is recovering from her injury and loss to Amanda Nunes, who defeated her in a rematch in July 2022. In case Silva wins this fight and faces her, Peña will be battling a five-fight winning streak fighter.
