UFC 269: Julianna Pena submits Amanda Nunes in an upset for the ages, and says ‘don’t doubt me again’
- American shocks the greatest women’s MMA fighter of all time in second round of Saturday night’s co-main event
- ‘I told you,’ says new bantamweight champion Pena, who called her shot with an incredible rear-naked choke finish
In perhaps the greatest shock of all-time in MMA, Julianna Pena submitted Amanda Nunes in the second round of Saturday night’s UFC 269 co-main event to become the new bantamweight champion.
“The Venezuelan Vixen” did exactly what she said she would do, and made the female MMA “GOAT” (greatest of all time) tap to a rear-naked choke at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas to stun the world.
“I told you – don’t ever doubt me again,” Pena told UFC commentator Joe Rogan in her post-fight interview.
The incredible finish came after the 32-year-old American (11-4) bit down on her mouthpiece and engaged in a seemingly Ill-advised stand-up war with the Brazilian former double champ (21-5), who had not tasted defeat since 2014 – a run that encompassed 12 straight wins at bantamweight and featherweight.
The two stood in the centre of the Octagon and traded, with Nunes fatiguing and eventually retreating to the fence, only for Pena to quickly take her back and pull off the unbelievable upset – having been a +1340 underdog at 1:55 in the first round, when “The Lioness” seemingly had her in trouble.
“I thought she was gonna fight it [the choke] longer. She tapped,” Pena added. “I asked the commissioner if it was over, he said ‘yeah’, I said ‘OK, great’.