Julianna Peña, a two-time UFC champion, faces skepticism about her skills as she prepares to defend her title against Olympic champion Kayla Harrison, with veteran Matt Brown questioning Peña’s position in the UFC despite her past upset win over Amanda Nunes.
Julianna Peña, a two-time UFC champ, has faced her share of ups and downs. In her last five fights since 2020, she’s gone 3-2.
On Saturday at UFC 316, Peña gears up for her first title defense against Kayla Harrison, a two-time Olympic champion. She’s stepping into the co-main event as the underdog, following a razor-close win over Raquel Pennington. Before that, she suffered a lopsided loss to Amanda Nunes in their 2022 rematch.
Peña does have a submission win over Nunes from their first bout. But apart from her victory over Pennington, she hasn’t defeated anyone else currently on the active UFC roster. This fact leaves retired veteran Matt Brown puzzled about her current standing.
“I almost feel bad for Julianna going into this fight,” Brown said on The Fighter vs. The Writer. “I don’t know how she’s gotten as far as she has. No offense, but she’s one reason I struggle with women’s MMA.”
Brown doesn’t hold back his admiration for Kayla Harrison, calling her a “legit savage fighter.” He questions how Peña reached this level, given her performances.
Peña’s notable win over Nunes remains a career highlight, yet Brown wonders if it ultimately set her up for tougher challenges. “Beating Amanda Nunes got her this fight with Kayla, but is that really a good thing?” he mused.
Brown speculates that Peña might regret her past victory, especially if the fight against Harrison doesn’t go well. “She might wish she never beat Amanda Nunes,” he said.
While acknowledging Peña’s upset over Nunes, Brown believes the rematch showcased the true gap between the fighters. “Amanda didn’t train for the first one,” he noted, though he dislikes excuses.
As for Harrison, Brown sees her as the remedy for the lack of excitement in the women’s bantamweight division. He’s confident she’ll become the UFC champ on Saturday, revitalizing the division.
“Kayla’s going to come in and demolish everybody,” Brown predicted. “That’s what the division needs—real skills and a real fighter.”
He even thought Holly Holm might challenge Harrison, but she didn’t stand a chance. “Once I saw that, I knew Kayla was the one they needed,” he concluded.
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