According to the latest reports, the newest coaches for the latest TUF season are going to be the UFC women’s bantamweight champion, Julianna Pena, and women’s featherweight champion Amanda Nunes. Julianna Pena fought Amanda Nunes at UFC 269. The first round of the fight was a dominant one for Amanda Nunes as she took Pena down. The path of the fight shifted in the second round as Pena won the striking exchanges and took Nunes down and submitted her. This fight is considered the biggest upset in UFC history.
Now UFC is about to set them opposite each other on the TUF season 30. Julianna Pena will then defend her title against Amanda Nunes in a rematch after the season is over. Julianna Pena has won the 18th season of the ultimate fighter.
“To be able to give back to the next generation and help this next generation of fighters cropping up in the UFC is an honor and it’s something I always wanted to do,” Peña said Friday in an interview on SportsCenter. “So, I feel incredibly blessed for the opportunity.”
“This is my chance to hush the naysayers,” Peña said. “I’ve always been in this situation where I’m the underdog and no one believes in me. This is another chance for me to put people on notice that I’m in this division and I’m here.”
Amanda Nunes has already shown interest in the rematch. She recently posted a post on Instagram.
“You guys think I’m going to go out unbalanced,” Nunes wrote on Instagram. “I undoubtedly accept the rematch. Give me a little time to get my shit together and I will be back better than ever.”
Julianna Pena since winning her bantamweight title has stated on multiple occasions that she is more than willing to give Amanda Nunes a title fight.
“Amanda’s been such a great champion, and she’s done so much for the sport, so for me to take down arguably the greatest of all time is something that’s still sinking in right now,” Julianna Pena said.
“We can do it next; I’m free next month, two months from now – whenever they want to do it, I’m ready,” Pena said. “If she wants to do a rematch, we can do a rematch” Julianna Pena concluded.
The official roster of fighters for TUF 30
MEN’S HEAVYWEIGHTS
- Nyle Bartling | 29 | 6-0 | Unadilla, NE
- Chandler Cole | 27 | 8-3 | Coeburn, VA
- Jordan Heiderman | 30 | 5-0 | Norfolk, NE
- Bobby Maximus | 43 | 5-4 | Salt Lake City, UT
- Zac Pauga | 33 | 5-0 | Denver, CO
- Eduardo Perez | 27 | 4-1 | Berkeley, CA
- Mitchell Sipe | 25 | 5-2 | Bakersfield, CA
- Mohammed Usman | 32 | 7-2 | Denver, CO
WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHTS
- Chantel Coates | 34 | 2-1 | Leavenworth, KS
- Claire Guthrie | 26 | 3-1 | Denver, CO
- Juliana Miller | 25 | 2-1 | San Diego, CA
- Kaytlin Neil | 30 | 5-4 | Lindon, UT
- Kathryn Paprocki | 28 | 3-2 | Denver, CO
- Melissa Parker | 35 | 2-1 | Houston, TX
- Helen Peralta | 33 | 4-2 | Fairfield, IA
- Brogan Walker | 32 | 7-2 | Guam
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Julianna Pena and Amanda Nunes to serve as The Ultimate Fighter 30 coaches
- Julianna Pena vs Amanda Nunes rematch to happen after TUF 30
- TUF 30 Roster
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