Julianna Pena Shifts Attention To New UFC Women’s Division
If a women’s UFC flyweight title is on the way, Julianna Pena wants in on the action.
The UFC recently admitted the possibility of crowning an inaugural women’s 125-pound champ through The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), similar to what they did with the strawweight crown. That would take place on TUF 25 which is set to begin filming in July.
Pena knows what it’s like to compete on the show seeing as she won TUF 18 nearly four years ago, and recently stated on an episode of “TUF Talk” that she’d love to return to the Ultimate Fighter house in attempt to win the women’s flyweight title (quotes via FOX Sports):
“I was asking Dana [White] if I could get back in the house and have a crack at that belt finally,” Pena said. “I fought at [125 pounds] a couple of times in my career so it’s not hard for me to make the weight. I walk naturally around 135 [pounds], a couple pounds heavier, so making 125 is not a problem for me.
“I think I would steamroll all the girls at 125 pounds but then again I’ve kind of got that big head thing going on.”
Pena claims she cuts very little to make 135 pounds and a move to flyweight would mean she’s finally taking on fighters relatively closer to her own size:
“I think the biggest change would be for me is to probably cut the weight is the biggest problem, but I don’t honestly don’t think it is a problem. Because during fight week at 135, I’m literally 137, if that not even, and I’m walking in there with not even cutting a pound so I really don’t think the weight would be an issue for me,” Pena explained.
“I think I’m a more natural 125’er. At 135, I feel like that’s my more normal walking weight so it makes sense for me that they finally — the MMA gods have been listening — and made a 125-pound division.”
If the opportunity to become the first ever female 125-pound champ hangs in the balance, Pena is just fine staying at the Ultimate Fighter house for six weeks again:
“I would love the opportunity to go back into “The Ultimate Fighter” house,” Pena said. “There’s never a moment where you get to eat the best food in the world, you can live in a mansion and not pay rent, you don’t have any of your bills, no drama from the outside and you really get to focus on yourself as a fighter for the first time without any outside focuses or any outside stimulation from the other people you have to deal with. It’s all about you, two times a day, eating the best food and getting the best training that you can possible get. So it was a great experience for me.”
