 |
| (L-R) Julianna Pena and Amanda Nunes of Brazil face off during the UFC 277 ceremonial weigh-in at American Airlines Center on July 29, 2022 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by=Carmen Mandato / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP) |
[Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] A pair of title fight rematches headline Saturday night’s UFC 277 in Dallas. The main event at American Airlines Center is a runback of one of the most shocking results in UFC history, as bantamweight champion Julianna Pena (11-4) of Spokane, Washington puts her newly won crown on the line against featherweight titleholder Amanda Nunes (21-5) of Brazil, PH Inquirer Sports reported.
Widely regarded as the greatest women’s fighter in MMA history, Nunes had not lost a fight for more than seven years when she stepped into the Octagon as a dual champion and huge favorite to meet Pena at UFC 269. The odds didn't deter Pena, who overcame a slow first round before pouring it on in the second and claiming the title via rear-naked choke submission.
Nunes has chalked up the loss to simply having a bad night. “I become a double champion, and I always do all those things, like kill all those girls, clean the division,” Nunes told ESPN. Meanwhile, the evening’s second rematch is a title concocted under a bit flimsier premise. Former UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno (19-6-2) of Tijuana, Mexico takes on New Zealand’s Kai Kara-France (24-9) in a bout for an interim championship.
