UFC 307 is shaping up to be a barnburner, with Raquel Pennington defending her bantamweight title against Julianna Peña. But there’s a twist in this tale that’s got fight fans buzzing. Pennington isn’t just prepping for one opponent; she’s gearing up for two. The champ has been hitting the gym hard, ready to face Peña and the formidable Kayla Harrison.
Pennington was recently interviewed by MMA Junkie ahead of her co-main event title fight. She revealed that Pena has been known to pull out of fights, and Harrison was potentially the backup she may be fighting.
“Honestly, I prepared for this as both Julianna and Kayla. Because I mean Juliana does have a history of getting injured, and I know that Kayla made the comment about wanting to be a backup fighter,” said Pennington.
Raquel Pennington’s not just thinking about UFC 307, though. She’s got her sights set on the future, too. She believes that her ultimate goal would be to take on and defeat Harrison.
The champ’s determination is admirable. She’s not just defending her title; she’s cementing her legacy. Pennington knows a win over Peña or Harrison would be huge for her career and make her one of the greats for women’s MMA.
Julianna Pena Willing To Die For The Women’s Bantamweight Championship From Raquel Pennington
The women’s bantamweight division in the UFC is about to get a serious shakeup. Julianna Pena is gearing up for a title shot that has been almost a decade in the making. Her journey to this moment has been nothing short of a rollercoaster. She shocked the world by submitting the seemingly invincible Amanda Nunes in 2021. But as quickly as she grabbed that gold, it slipped away in the rematch.
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Now, she has set her sights on Raquel Pennington at UFC 307. These two have quite some history. They were teammates on ‘The Ultimate Fighter’, but fate kept them apart in the octagon until now. Pena is not mincing words about her intentions.
“If I gotta poke her eyeballs out, if I gotta bite her on the freaking finger, I’m gonna literally do whatever I can to get my hand raised, I don’t care. Come hell or high water, I guarantee you I am willing to die in there as you guys have seen, and I’m not gonna stop until I get the victory,” said Pena via MMA Fighting.
Pena has been on the sidelines for two years recovering from injuries. Some critics are questioning whether she deserves this shot. But the ‘Venezuelan Vixen’ does not care, as she is bringing a mix of confidence and desperation to this fight. She knows what it’s like to be at the top. She’s tasted that championship gold. And now she’s hungry for seconds.
