Oct 5, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Julianna Pena (blue gloves) before a women’s bantamweight title bout against Raquel Pennington (not pictured) during UFC 307 at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

mma

Julianna Pena Feels Disrespected Ahead Of Her Title Defense Against Kayla Harrison

Despite holding the belt, Julianna Pena feels all eyes are on Kayla Harrison, and she’s not happy about It!

Champions come and go in the UFC, but few have faced the doubters quite like Julianna Pena. Back in December 2021, she shocked the world. Nobody thought she could beat Amanda Nunes, the woman many called the greatest of all time. The betting odds were laughably against her. The experts predicted an easy night for the champion. But Pena didn’t get that memo. She submitted Nunes in the second round, pulling off one of the biggest upsets in UFC history.

While she lost the rematch, Pena reclaimed the bantamweight title last year against Raquel Pennington. Now she is set to defend her belt against Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison.

Also Read: ‘I Never Thought That Herpes Would Take Me Out of a Fight!’ – Rodolfo Bellato Reveals the Reason Behind Him Pulling Out of Co-Main Event of UFC Vegas 106

Julianna Pena Believes She Gets Disrespect From Fans

The lead-up to her upcoming fight has been anything but respectful. Fans and some fighters seem to treat Pena as merely a stepping stone for Harrison’s UFC success story. It feels like deja vu for the champion who has been here before. The disrespect isn’t new, but that doesn’t make it sting any less.

As fight night approaches, Pena isn’t just preparing to defend her belt, she is fighting for the respect she believes she’s earned but never received. Talking to Jim Norton and Matt Serra on the UFC Unfiltered show, Pena revealed how she feels.

“I think fighters in general, it is never enough. You win a fight, somebody has something to say no matter what. It’s never enough for these ungrateful fans… If i listened to those types of opinions, i would have jumped out of a window.”

The champion’s frustration was evident as she described how she has been portrayed in the buildup. Pena further revealed that she has completely disconnected from social media during her camp. “I don’t ever look at the comments when I am this close to the fight because i know people are going to trash me regardless.” The champion has focused instead on her training and spending time with her daughter instead of worrying about naysayers.

Despite feeling overlooked, Pena maintains she is in the best shape of her career. ‘The Venezuelan Vixen’ is known for her relentless pressure and never-say-die attitude. These are the attributes that carried her to victory against Nunes when nobody gave her a chance. Whether Julianna Pena proves the doubters wrong again remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: underestimating her has proven costly before!

(Image Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie – Imagn Images)

Julianna Pena

Kayla Harrison

UFC 316

Zaid Quraishi

mma

I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!