Amanda Nunes and Julianna Pena shared an intense faceoff at the ceremonial weigh-ins ahead of their rematch that will headline UFC 277 from Dallas on Saturday night.
The champion and the challenger both walked onto-stage with their children. Pena’s little girl even participated in the staredown. But it was still all business once they came nose-to-nose, with only UFC president Dana White separating the two combatants.
Following the standoff between the fighters, a fired-up Nunes, who still holds the UFC featherweight title, promised to rectify the mistakes of the past that cost her the 135-pound belt in her previous meeting with Pena.
” Life is hard sometimes, and not all goes our way. “Now, I’m here to get my title again Saturday.
“You guys, make sure you watch that. I’m going to become a double champ again.”
There was a look of determination on Nunes’ face from the moment she hit the stage until she finally broke apart with Pena, who weighed in second as the incumbent champion.
Pena won what was arguably the greatest upset of the entire history of the Ultimate Fighter promotion. But the one-time Ultimate Fighter champion never saw it that way.
Pena believed that she would dethrone Nunes and she now plans to win a second victory over her Brazilian opponent, effectively eliminating her from any future challengers.
While she enters the rematch as a sizable underdog yet again, Pena expects the same results once she goes to battle with Nunes on Saturday night.
” This is such a great opportunity for me,” Pena stated about the rematch. “Pressure is a privilege. I’m going to give everything that I have to retain this belt tomorrow night.”
The co-main event features an interim flyweight title fight as Brandon Moreno clashes with Kai Kara-France, with the winner then expected to face reigning 125-pound champion Deiveson Figueiredo once he’s healthy enough to compete again.
The fight also serves as a rematch after Moreno beat Kara-France by decision back in 2019, but since that time the contender from New Zealand has amassed a 4-1 record, including three victories in a row to put himself in position to compete for UFC gold.
“I’m a long way from home out here in Dallas, Texas,” Kara-France said. Although I know that I am fighting my boy, by the end the night you will all be riding my hype train. Don’t blink, baby.”
For Moreno, his goal is to win gold again after losing to Figueiredo by a close decision. But he will have to defeat Kara-France to get the title.
” The past is irrelevant right now,” Moreno shouted. I’m freaking excited. It’s a great moment. You guys, I’d like to prove how large I really am. I’d like to prove to you .”
why I should be the next world champion.
