Author: Shreyas Sharma
In a much-anticipated announcement, the UFC has confirmed that Brazil’s Amanda Nunes and Julianna Peña will meet for the third time in an exciting trilogy fight at UFC 289. Scheduled for June 10 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, this fight for the women’s bantamweight title should be the main event.
Nunes, a dominant force in women’s MMA, recently suffered her first defeat since 2014, when she was beaten by Peña at UFC 269 in 2021. However, she managed to even the score by defeating Peña in their rematch at UFC 277 last year.
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With an impressive career, the 34-year-old Brazilian overcame a shaky start with a 9-4 record. After her defeat to Cat Zingano at UFC 178 in 2014, Nunes embarked on an incredible winning streak, triumphing in 12 consecutive fights. Notably, she secured victories against renowned fighters such as Ronda Rousey, Miesha Tate, Cris Cyborg and Holly Holm. Nunes won the women’s bantamweight and featherweight titles, solidifying her position as one of the sport’s greatest athletes.
During Nunes’ reign, Peña emerged as a formidable competitor. Although Peña suffered defeats against opponents Nunes had beaten, including Valentina Shevchenko and Germaine de Randamie, she positioned herself as the top contender with a win over Sara McMann. Peña’s initial triumph over Nunes came in the form of a second-round rear-naked choke finish, marking only the second time that Nunes had succumbed to a submission defeat.
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In their rematch at UFC 277, Nunes showed her resilience, outclassing Peña and securing a unanimous decision victory to regain the women’s bantamweight title. With a professional record of 22 wins and 5 losses and notable achievements such as 13 knockout wins and 4 submission victories, Nunes now has the opportunity to silence any doubts about her position as the top female MMA fighter.
For Peña, a second win over Nunes would elevate his status to new heights and prove emphatically that his initial victory was no fluke. With a record of 11 wins and 5 losses, Peña is determined to etch her name in the annals of the sport by beating Nunes once again.
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With the stage set for the fight of the trilogy, MMA fans around the world are eagerly awaiting this epic clash between Nunes and Peña, with the potential to redefine the women’s MMA scene and establish the undisputed queen of the division.