Julianna Pena Calls 'Dibs' on Kayla Harrison-Amanda Nunes Winner

Even after a lopsided loss in the UFC 316 co-main event, Julianna Pena is determined to remain in the women’s bantamweight title picture.

Pena suffered a second-round submission defeat to Kayla Harrison on Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, ending her second reign as 135-pound queen in short order. “The Venezuelan Vixen” is already eyeing another title shot, however.

“Thank you to the fans who lifted me with your love and encouragement during this [fight camp] I love you all and feel so grateful for all the support and energy you guys give me—It truly means the world. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to get the job done. I’m super disappointed but hats off to Kayla on her win!” Pena wrote on Instagram.

“Time to get healed up and get ready for her next fight because I’m calling dibs on the winner.”

Harrison is expected to face former two-division champ Amanda Nunes later this year. The Brazilian recently revealed that she is ending a retirement that began in June 2023 in an attempt to reclaim the bantamweight title. Harrison and Nunes squared off in the Octagon following the two-time Olympic gold medalist’s victory over Pena at UFC 316.

The 35-year-old Pena might have a more legitimate claim to contention if Nunes can dethrone Harrison. Pena initially became bantamweight champion with one of the biggest upsets in MMA history at UFC 269, when she submitted Nunes in the second round of their December 2021 clash. While Nunes defeated Pena in emphatic fashion in their rematch at UFC 277, a trilogy beween the two rivals wouldn’t be entirely unrealistic given the promotion’s matchmaking tendencies.

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