
Julianna Peña has a lot to say about the Raquel Pennington vs. Mayra Bueno Silva fight at UFC 297, but the bottom line of it all is her belief that the new champ will soon retire. According to the former champion, she already talked to the promotion about her comeback, promising fans that Pennington’s victory would be “short-lived.”
The co-main event of the UFC 297 didn’t impress many, including Peña, who called it a “snooze fest” and underscored Pennignton’s character for refusing suggestions from her corner and others, including CEO Dana White. In line with this, the former women’s bantamweight champ recalled her time at The Ultimate Fighter, sharing how “Rocky” refused to listen to coaching and show dedication in her fight preparations. In the end, “The Venezuelan Vixen” explained this is the reason why it took the rival more than a decade to face her at the top.
“…So I’m out here grinding two times a day, making the most out of my opportunities so that I can become The Ultimate Fighter while she’s sleeping,” Peña shared on The MMA Hour. “We’re going opposite ways, all right. I’m grinding and coming up and you’re not doing anything, just content with sleeping and being a being a bump on the log. It’s not my fault that you’ve been waiting 10 years to get this fight.”
Peña then reiterated why she was hoping that Bueno Silva would win, noting that Pennington is “a boring block of wood” and not much of a talker, unlike the opponent she defeated last weekend. For her, this would help promote the fight more easily. In the end, the 34-year-old, who defeated the legendary Amanda Nunes in the past, is confident she will give the final battle that will push Pennington to retire.
“I really am happy for her and her career and everything like that,” said the former champ. “But it’s going to be short-lived. It’s not going to be being this champion for seven years. That’s not the case, unfortunately. She’s already talking about retiring and going into her retirement being a family man. Let me do the honors and kick you into retirement, Raquel.”