It was considered one of the biggest upsets in UFC history. Julianna Pena defied the odds and beat Amanda Nunes to win the UFC bantamweight title at UFC 269. Pena’s confidence from before the fight remained intact as she entered the cage. She earned the right to say "I told you so" by outclassing "The Lioness."
For months, Pena has held a firm grip on the division after Nunes had her claws within it. Now, she will look to do the same at UFC 277 on July 30. The two will fight again, this time at American Airlines Center in Dallas. Just like last time, Pena is the underdog.
Both fighters are ready to compete for bantamweight gold. Will lightning strike twice? Can Julianna Pena go 2-0 against Amanda Nunes?
MORE: Sign up to watch UFC 277 PPV, exclusively on ESPN+
Julianna Pena vs. Amanda Nunes 2 odds for UFC 277
Per Vegas Insider, Julianna Pena is the +225 underdog while Amanda Nunes is the -275 favorite.
In Canada, per Sports Interaction, Pena is the +190 underdog while Nunes is the -235 favorite.
Julianna Pena: 'I slayed the dragon' in Amanda Nunes
Pena told the world ahead of the first fight exactly what she was going to do. There were no alterations or surprises. She went toe-to-toe with Nunes, jabbed away, took her down and submitted her. Go back and watch the first fight. You'll see that everyone was shocked.
Pena understands why. Nunes had devastated the competition for years and the bantamweight division has seen MMA royalty pass through it.
"I think they were shocked because you saw Amanda knock out Ronda Rousey, who was getting people out in the first round in under 30 seconds," Pena said, going through the lineage of women in the UFC. "They saw Miesha Tate, who was able to take out Holly Holm and choke her out, and Holm was able to knock out Ronda. You had Cyborg, who slayed everyone. When you have this girl in Nunes who literally slayed the who’s who of the women’s division, that’s a big accomplishment.
“I slayed the dragon who slayed all the other dragons. It’s a thing where she looks unbeatable, where nobody will ever be able to come close to her. That’s what made the win over her sweeter than it was.”
Julianna Pena is confident
Nunes' skills are out of this world. She lands 4.55 significant strikes per minute (Pena lands 3.36) and has an accuracy rate of 51 percent (49 percent for Pena). They are even in takedowns per 15 minutes (2.43 for Pena, 2.46 for Nunes). Nunes has landed 14 takedowns in just two fights against Germaine de Randamie and Felicia Spencer. Pena has landed 16 combined in nine UFC fights. Despite the single takedown against her, Nunes’ TD defense is 82 percent. Pena's is at 22 percent.
All of that sounds great on paper. Pena, however, broke through Nunes and landed 79 shots to her 46. A majority of them, 69, were to the head. Pena looked like someone who wanted to be a champion.
MORE: Amanda Nunes net worth: purse history, career earnings for MMA champion
Pena saw what other people can't, or maybe even refuse to see when they look at Nunes.
"Nunes is just a regular person just like me. She bleeds blood just like I do. She cries,” Pena said. “She’s like everyone else. I think that’s the issue: people put so much pressure into saying she’s the GOAT and that nobody can touch her. She’s this, she’s that, she hasn’t been beaten in eight years. I looked at her like she’s just another woman."
At the UFC 277 press conference, Pena took it a step further by saying that she doesn't see the same aura everyone else sees when it comes to Nunes. She said names like Fedor Emelianenko, Mike Tyson, and Dana White have auras.
Nunes, meanwhile, told TSN's Andreas Hale that she wasn't at 100 percent for the fight.
Can Julianna Pena beat Amanda Nunes?
The question was asked months ago, with an emphatic "No" as the response. This time? There may still be detractors, but there are also believers.
Nunes looks more motivated than ever, but if Pena sticks to her game plan, this could be a very interesting fight. A title is on the line, but so is legacy. Pena and Nunes are ready to once again put it all on the line. Will lighting strike twice, or will “The Lioness” reclaim her throne?
When is UFC 277: Julianna Pena vs. Amanda Nunes 2?
- Date: Saturday, July 30
- Fight Pass prelims: 6 p.m. ET
- Prelims: 8 p.m. ET
- Main card: 10 p.m. ET
- Main event: 12:15 a.m. ET (approximate)
UFC 277 will take place on Saturday, July 30. The event will start with Fight Pass prelims at 6 p.m. ET, followed by the prelims at 8 p.m. ET. The main card PPV will start at 10 p.m. ET. Pena and Nunes should make their way to the Octagon around 12:15 a.m. ET, depending on how long the undercard fights last.
MORE: Total purse info for UFC 277
How to watch UFC 277: Julianna Pena vs. Amanda Nunes 2
- TV channels: ESPN+, ABC
- Live stream: ESPN+, UFC Fight Pass
The main card for UFC 277 is available in the U.S. and Mexico on the ESPN+ subscription streaming service for a pay-per-view cost.
Earlier fights are viewable live on ESPN+, ABC, the WatchESPN app and, for the early prelims, on UFC Fight Pass.
In Canada, the main card pay-per-view is available on TSN, Bell, Rogers, Shaw, Eastlink and UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass.
In the United Kingdom, the main card will be available on BT Sport 1, with the prelims available on UFC Fight Pass.
In Australia, the main card will be on Main Event, Kayo Sports, FOXTEL and UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass.
Julianna Pena vs. Amanda Nunes 2 price: How much does UFC 277 cost?
- $74.99 (current ESPN+ subscribers)
- $99.98 (new subscribers)
In the U.S., the UFC 277 main card is available via pay-per-view on ESPN+, which also requires a subscription. The PPV price for UFC 277 is $74.99 for current subscribers. New subscribers can pay a bundle price of $99.98 for the UFC 277 pay-per-view and an ESPN+ annual subscription, which offers savings of more than 30 percent.
MORE: Sign up to watch UFC 277 PPV, exclusively on ESPN+
| Product | Prices |
|---|---|
| ESPN+ Monthly Subscription | $9.99/month |
| ESPN+ Annual Subscription | $99.99/year |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu Ad-Supported | $13.99/month |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu No-Ads | $19.99/month |
| UFC PPV Standalone | $74.99 each |
| UFC PPV Package (UFC PPV & ESPN+ Annual) | $99.98, then $69.99/year |
| UFC PPV & The Disney Bundle | $88.98, then $13.99/month |
Click here to learn about the different pricing and bundling options with the ESPN+ platform.
* On Aug. 23, ESPN+'s monthly subscription will increase from $6.99 per month to $9.99 per month. The annual ESPN+ subscription package will change from $69.99 per year to $99.99 per year.
There is no change to the standalone PPV, or to the Disney Bundle.
UFC 277 fight card
Main card
- Julianna Pena (c) vs. Amanda Nunes 2 for the UFC bantamweight title
- Brandon Moreno vs. Kai Kara-France for the interim UFC flyweight title
- Derrick Lewis vs. Sergei Pavlovich; heavyweights
- Alexandre Pantoja vs. Alex Perez; flyweights
- Anthony Smith vs. Magomed Ankalaev; light heavyweights
Prelims
- Drew Dober vs. Rafael Alves; lightweights
- Hamdy Abdelwahab vs. Don’Tale Mayes; heavyweights
- Rafa Garcia vs. Drakkar Klose; lightweights
- Alex Morono vs. Matthew Semelsberger; welterweights
Fight Pass prelims
- Adam Fugitt vs. Michael Morales; welterweights
- Ji Yeon Kim vs. Joselyne Edwards; bantamweights
- Orion Cosce vs. Mike Mathetha; welterweights
- Nicolae Negumereanu vs. Ihor Potieria; light heavyweights
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