UFC commentator Jon Anik isn’t entirely convinced Julianna Pena will walk away from Newark with the women’s bantamweight championship at UFC 316 this Saturday night. However, he firmly believes the fight on paper is far more competitive than suggested by current betting odds and a significant portion of the MMA fanbase.
Anik, who is set to call the action alongside Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier, has observed Pena enough over the years to know she is someone who can never be written off. A prime example is “The Venezuelan Vixen’s” stunning victory nearly four years ago, securing the title in one of the biggest upsets in UFC history.
“I just recently went back and watched Amanda Nunes vs. Julianna Pena 1 [at UFC 269], and honestly, that’s all the film I needed,” Anik told MMA Fighting. “Her head coach, Rick Little, has consistently told me over the years just how fiercely aggressive and nasty she is. And truly, regardless of gender, she is a nasty f*cking prick. I genuinely believe that her toughness, combined with her cardio, her self-belief, and her sheer desire to stay in deep waters, is key. She never looks for a way out. She’s not the type to tap just because things get difficult.
“And I think those are exactly the qualities you need when facing an exceptionally decorated, two-time Olympic champion like Kayla Harrison, who has to contend with a challenge even before the fight itself – something few fighters truly experience. Perhaps I shouldn’t generalize, but I can’t help but wonder aloud how many times Kayla Harrison will realistically be able to make weight to defend this belt, should she actually win it. I don’t have the answer.”
“From my perspective, there isn`t really a functional UFC women’s featherweight division right now, so there are quite a few unanswered questions surrounding Kayla Harrison. But personally, I find great encouragement in Julianna Pena’s wealth of experience, her undeniable doggedness, and her kind of – and I know it sounds clichéd – never-say-die attitude.”
Pena became a two-time champion following her decision victory over Raquel Pennington at UFC 307 last October. Harrison made her second appearance in the UFC on that same card, after a successful and lengthy tenure with the PFL, securing a unanimous decision win against Ketlen Vieira.
The build-up to this fight has been marked by intense exchanges, with Pena consistently engaging in trash talk directed at Harrison. This included accusing her of using steroids throughout her career – an allegation Harrison recently addressed when speaking with MMA Fighting.
While some onlookers might find Pena’s approach to promoting fights a bit awkward, Anik suggests it’s all part of a deliberate strategy for her.
“So, I don’t know if Julianna Pena has any skills on the basketball court, but she definitely looks incredibly athletic at moments in the cage,” Anik stated. “When you consider the precision she demonstrated against Amanda Nunes during those crucial moments in their fight, I find it promising because the fight game can often come down to just one single moment. If she can create such a moment early on, it has the potential to completely change the dynamic of the entire fight.”
“Now, we could easily sit here and speak in glowing terms about Kayla Harrison. She’s a 6-to-1 favorite, and perhaps you and I might even consider that excessively favored. But I genuinely believe that Julianna Pena has historically been written off, and she is facing that skepticism once again. Even if you perceive some friction or awkwardness in how she promotes the fight, I think if you just take her words at face value, I personally appreciate her approach to promoting fights. I like what she says, I like her confidence. The only potential issue might simply be that her opponent is just that good.”
One of the major narratives surrounding this bout is the possibility of Amanda Nunes’ return to competition. The former two-division champion retired as the bantamweight titleholder following her dominant victory against Irene Aldana at UFC 289 in June 2023. “The Lioness” hinted at a comeback during the event`s initial pre-fight press conference in April. She holds a 1-1 record over two fights against Pena, and a fantasy matchup pitting her against Harrison has been speculated upon for years by matchmakers and fans alike.
Will Nunes actually return? In Anik’s view, it likely hinges on who emerges victorious on Saturday night.
“I honestly don’t see any upside for Amanda Nunes in fighting Julianna Pena for a third time, except for the potential monetary benefits,” Anik explained. “So yes, I think a fight against Kayla Harrison would be the one that would compel her to come out of retirement, so to speak.”
“But sometimes, there’s simply a downside, right? Like heading into this NBA postseason, it feels like there’s only downside for the Celtics. Only negative outcomes seem possible when I’m watching the Celtics in their attempt to defend the championship. And I think for Amanda Nunes, if you’re talking purely about legacy – as Zhang Weili closes in on becoming the greatest women’s mixed martial artist of all time, and as Valentina Shevchenko continues to accumulate wins, opening up the conversation for the greatest women’s mixed martial artist of all time – is legacy alone enough to bring Amanda Nunes back? Is it money?
“I don’t know, but as far as I’m concerned, Amanda Nunes’ standing as the greatest women’s mixed martial artist of all time has faced significant challenges over the past 12 months from both Valentina Shevchenko and Zhang Weili.”
