Amanda Nunes: Julianna Pena Is Same Fighter As Miesha Tate

UFC two-division champion Amanda Nunes is not impressed with Julianna Pena.

Regardless, Nunes will be putting her title on the line Saturday night against Pena. The two serve as the co-main event for UFC 269. 

Pena struck a nerve with the champ-champ with her comments regarding the bout recently. Pena, a former Ultimate Fighter winner, believes the two have been on a collision course for years.

Nunes doesn’t see it that way.

“Honestly, what Julianna has is just nothing to lose,” Nunes said (thanks to MMA Fighting for the quotes). “So I just have to be sharper because I’ve seen her style many times in my whole career.

“Her best friend is Miesha Tate. If you watch Miesha Tate fight, it’s the same fighter right there. So I’ve seen it before.”

Nunes and Pena had their war of words during the pre-fight press conference, with Pena referencing her win over Cat Zingano. Zingano holds a victory over Nunes.

“I actually won and I beat the girl that rag-dolled you as a matter of fact,” Pena said. “I beat the girl that beat you that night, and you said at your press conference that you would fight me, and you absolutely did not fight me.”

Nunes replied, “You were never a contender.”

That loss to Zingano was the last for Nunes, taking place in 2014. She submitted Megan Anderson earlier this year with a first round reverse triangle armbar.

Pena earned a win over Zingano in 2016 and submitted Sara McMann this past January. Her last two losses have come to former UFC champion Germaine de Randamie and current titleholder Valentina Shevchenko.