Julianna Pena returned at UFC 257 and wowed the fans and viewership with a slick rear-naked choke victory against Sara McMann.
Julianna Pena secures submission victory
The first round didn’t go as planned for The Ultimate Fighter 18 winner, as McMann secured a takedown, which forced ‘The Venezuelan Vixen’ to work from her back. In the second round, Pena returned fire and was able to match McMann not only on the feet but on the ground as well.
When the third round began, Pena did not take long before securing a takedown of her own, which was the beginning of the end for McMann. She forced the Olympic freestyle wrestler into the turtle position, landed some ground and pound, before securing the fight-ending rear-naked choke at 3:39 of round number three.
The Venezuelan Vixen!
🇻🇪 @VenezuelanVixen secures the RNC on Fight Island.
[ #UFC257 LIVE on @ESPN | #InAbuDhabi | @VisitAbuDhabi ] pic.twitter.com/pLrxbJaahS
— UFC (@ufc) January 24, 2021
Following the victory, Pena spoke with UFC commentator Jon Anik and had strong words for UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes
“I feel amazing,” Pena said. “It played exactly how I thought it was. I just beat the best wrestler in the division. Amanda Nunes, I want to fight you. It’s time for her to quit ducking.”
Julianna Pena calls out Amanda Nunes
"Quit ducking."
🇻🇪 @VenezuelanVixen with a huge callout for 135! #UFC257 pic.twitter.com/zfk0G43v2k
— UFC (@ufc) January 24, 2021
Pena (10-4) returns to the win column after a 2020 loss to Germaine de Randamie. She has gone 2-1 since returning from a two-year hiatus from the sport.
McMann (12-6) is now 1-3 in her last four fights. Her lone victory came against Lina Lansberg in January 2020.
UFC 257 went down on January 23 from Fight Island in Abu Dhabi. In the main event, Dustin Poirier finished Conor McGregor in the second round.
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