UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes is all set to share the Octagon with Irene Aldana, and she believes her next opponent poses a bigger threat than Julianna Pena.
I feel like it’s going to be fun: Amanda Nunes
Nunes and Pena share a two fight rivalry. Their first encounter at UFC 269 in December 2021 saw Pena shockingly dethroning “The Lioness” via submission and clinching the 135-pound belt. Nunes, however, avenged her loss in July last year at UFC 277 via unanimous decision and reinstating herself on the bantamweight throne.
While a trilogy fight between Nunes and Pena was booked for UFC 289, an injury forced “The Venezuelan Vixen” to pull out, and was replaced by Irene Aldana on short notice.
Speaking to ESPN MMA about the fight, Nunes opined that she believes “Robles” will prove to be a tougher challenge than Pena.
“She’s a very talented girl,” said Nunes. “She’s like, obviously, she was right in the corner to get an opportunity. I feel like she’s more technical as well, you know, more dangerous, knockout power, all those things. I feel like she has very good counterpunches, so I got to watch out for those moments. Also, the takedowns, she’s good in transitions, when she gets close to the floor.”
“Yeah, I feel like she’s a good opponent, she’s ready. She was training for five rounds right, so I feel like she’s ready to go, and like, I am too. So I feel like it’s going to be fun. We both have knockout power, I don’t feel like this fight is going to go far away. If it goes, I’m going to be ready for five, five-minute rounds for sure,” the Brazilian added. [H/T BJPenn.com]
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