Julianna Peña says she still has “unfinished business” with Amanda Nunes.
Nunes dominated Irene Aldana at UFC 289 on Saturday, laid down her bantamweight and featherweight championship belts in the ring, and announced her retirement from MMA.
Peña handed Nunes her first defeat in more than seven years at UFC 269 in 2021, before Nunes won the rematch last year.
Peña spoke to TMZ, calling her adversary a “coward” for ducking their rubber match.
“There’s unfinished business and listen, the reality is that Amanda retired. She had a great career, but let’s call a spade a spade. She’s a coward. From the very beginning, the UFC told me that she didn’t want to fight me, and that’s why it took so long for them to make the trilogy,” Peña said.
“We’re 1-1, it’s tied up and the fact that she walked away like this, it’s unfortunate but personally, congratulations. Professionally, what the heck is that?”
Nunes said in her retirement press conference that she didn’t think Peña would ever hold the belt again, and this was something Peña took exception to.
“[Amanda] knows what can happen. She knows that she lost her belt to me and she knows that I’m a threat. She’s gonna do everything and anything that she can to discredit me to say that I’m not good or that I’m never gonna be champion.”
Peña wasn’t so sure Nunes actually will be done forever.
“At this point, [Amanda’s] dead to me. You retired, good, go, ride off into the sunset, have a good time. We gotta keep s–t pushing around here, so let’s keep this division open and alive and things are gonna be exciting!” Peña said.
“Congratulations. Have a good time, but I know at the end of the day a fighter, especially when they’re still young, is gonna have a hard time walking away from this sport. When she’s ready to come back, I’ll be here.”
Earlier this month, Nunes told The Post she would consider following in the footsteps of her previous UFC opponents Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler into the WWE Ring.
“It depends on the contract, you know?” Nunes said.
“If the contract is amazing, why not?” she asked. “What I wanted to do in MMA, I did already — even more than I thought in my head when I went through my whole career. I became a double champion. I wanted only one — I had two … I’m so happy, and whatever comes after I’m done with UFC, we’ll see. For sure you guys will see me around, anyways.”
