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UFC 307 Co-Headliner Is Convinced Amanda Nunes Will End Retirement

Ahead of her return at UFC 307, Julianna Peña is gunning for the "biggest women's fight in UFC history" vs. Amanda Nunes.

Christopher De Santiago

Jun 10, 2023; Vancouver, BC, Canada; Amanda Nunes fights against Irene Aldana during UFC 289 at Rogers Arena.
Jun 10, 2023; Vancouver, BC, Canada; Amanda Nunes fights against Irene Aldana during UFC 289 at Rogers Arena. / Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

Julianna Peña's willing to bet on an Amanda Nunes comeback.

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The consensus greatest female fighter of all time, Nunes left the sport at the top of her game, defending her title once more against Irene Aldana at UFC 289 June of last year before laying down the gloves for what was the final time.

Meanwhile, former champ Peña, originally scheduled to fight Nunes that night if not for a a rib injury, was shouting and calling for a trilogy bout with Nunes from cageside, The women left it at 1-1 in their series with Peña winning their first fight by submission and Nunes the rematch, in dominating fashion at UFC 277.

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Nunes' retirement didn't sit well with Peña, who hasn't fought in nearly 800 days since, but "The Venezuelan Vixen" has an immediate title fight against new champion, "The Ultimate Fighter" rival Raquel Pennington upon her return to the Octagon in the co-main event of UFC 307 this Saturday.

"I will get my hand raised on Saturday night, and after that, I will defend my belt and I'll be able to hold on to it longer than I did the last time," Peña told MMA Junkie's Mike Bohn in a recent interview.

UFC 277: Nunes vs. Pena
Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

"I'm Hoping Amanda [Nunes] Will Want To Come Out Of Retirement..."

Though, becoming a two-time champion isn't all what's on the mind of Julianna Peña ahead of long-awaited grudge match with Pennington. With a title win in Salt Lake City, Peña won't be without a challenger as top contenders Kayla Harrison and Ketlen Viera collide on the undercard.

Pena confirmed the fight as a title eliminator, eyeing the winner for her first title defense of her second title reign. While there's still the matter of beating and dethroning a formidable foe in Pennington, Peña believes she'll be able to lure the retired Amanda Nunes back into MMA competition some way or another.

"I'm hoping that Amanda will want to come out of retirement," Pena said of potential opponents after Pennington. "I'm willing to bet that she'll be there and that she'll be watching very intently. I don't believe that she truly is as done as she claims that she is. I think that she misses the sport. I think that she doesn't know what to do with herself now that she's not fighting."

Former UFC Champion Amanda Nune
Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

Nunes retired following her 12th title fight in a row, shortly after her 35th birthday. Now 36, there's still time left on the clock for "The Lioness" to mount a comeback but in a career as legendary as hers, there's not many boxes to check besides a trilogy bout with Peña or a fight vs. Harrison, despite definitively beating Peña on the judges' scorecards the second time around (50-43, 50-44, 50-45).

"I think that there will be a little green envious monster in her saying that, 'I can go back there, I can do this...' Her thinking that she can beat me. So, I know she probably feels that she doesn't have anything to prove against me," Peña said of former foe Nunes.

"I know that she particularly is not fond of Kayla [Harrison] more than she is not fond of me. But my goal will be to get Amanda back inside the Octagon with me, and that will be the biggest women's fight in UFC history."

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Christopher De Santiago
CHRISTOPHER DE SANTIAGO

Christopher De Santiago is a 22 year-old journalist from Gainesville, Texas with years of experience covering MMA.