Julianna Pena is once again UFC women’s bantamweight champion following a razor-close split decision win at UFC 307.
Pena, who had not fought since losing the title in 2022, topped Raquel Pennington in the co-main event from Salt Lake City, Utah.
The bout had been a long time coming for the pair, with injuries and other issues causing delays.
Related: UFC Results: Two Championships On The Line At UFC 307 In Utah
For Pena, hearing the decision being read was a sense of relief.
“I wasn’t sure (if I had done enough),” she said. “I heard the judges were doing some crazy stuff. You never want to leave it in the hands of the judges and it’s just unfortunate it went to a decision.
“Raquel is a tough opponent but I’m happy to put it to bed.”
While that might be the case, Pena made it known she has no interest in taking on top challenger Kayla Harrison at the moment.
Harrison bested Ketlen Vieira earlier in the night and declared herself the next contender.
“What I’d really like is for Amanda Nunes to quit ducking me,” Pena said. “We are 1-1 and it would be the greatest fight mixed martial arts history has ever seen.
“I don’t believe she is done being retired and I want her back inside the Octagon to settle the score.”
Pena earned her first UFC title in 2021 with a surprising submission win over Nunes, ending her long reign. She dropped the belt via decision to Nunes a year later, with the champion retiring after the match.
During that portion of the post-fight interview, Harrison was shown backstage. The two-time Olympic gold medalist mocked Pena for her comments.
Julianna Pena UFC 307 Post-Fight Interview
