Julianna Pena and Raquel Pennington know one another nicely though they’ve by no means set foot collectively within the Octagon.
Over a decade in the past, Julianna Pena and Raquel Pennington launched themselves to the world as a part of the 18th season of The Final Fighter. Though each fighters have been drafted to the identical staff, the 2 by no means appeared to get alongside. Now, with the 2 seemingly on a collision course within the bantamweight division, “The Venezuelan Vixen” has one objective in thoughts; settle the rating along with his renegade TUF teammate.
“I by no means forgot how awfully she talked about me round the home after which accused me of being a child, as a result of I wasn’t going to hang around with them at evening whereas they have been sitting round a campfire speaking about me,” Peña mentioned on The MMA Hour. “Like, you are not my buddy. And I discovered that out actually rapidly once we lived collectively for seven weeks.
Julianna Pena particulars the strain between herself and Raquel Pennington within the TUF home
Julianna Pena received TUF 18 whereas Raquel Pennington fell quick within the semi-finals, dropping a unanimous choice to Jessica Rakoczy. Throughout their time collectively as a part of Miesha Tate’s squad, Pena accused ‘Rocky’ of ingesting and partying all evening earlier than they have been even eradicated from the competitors.
“She sleeps on prime of me,” Peña mentioned. “Earlier than she was knocked out of the competitors, she would keep up all evening till, like, three within the morning, ingesting and having enjoyable with everybody who had been knocked out of the competitors. So she would not go to mattress till, like, the wee hours. After which when Monday got here, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, every single day, we practiced twice a day, she would not come to follow. She was sleeping as a result of she had been up the evening earlier than.
“So within the morning, as a result of we’re the primary staff to go to the fitness center that day – we had the primary practices – I get up to take my drugs, I get up to pack my baggage, I get up to begin my day, however she is loopy for me to do this. So she began saying I used to be like I used to be making noise on objective.
“We stay on prime of one another. We actually had the smallest room with three chicks in a single room. We stay on prime of one another, and it isn’t my fault you stayed up all evening and drag your ass within the morning and do not even come to follow. And once more, that was earlier than she was knocked out of the competitors.
Initially, Julianna Pena attributed her rigidity to the restricted lodging and her totally different approaches to competitors. Nonetheless, throughout a section the place the ladies interviewed one another, Pena was requested to ask “Rocky” who she would most wish to combat inside the home. Pennington instantly referred to as Pena.
“And I mentioned, why me? Raquel, I put you in my excessive heels,” Peña mentioned. “I did your make-up so stunning. I gave you my attire and I taught you tips on how to stroll like a girl, and now you are gonna kick me out of the home? What for? It is such BS. And he or she mentioned it was as a result of I used to be too loud, and I mentioned, ‘I am simply going to follow, man, like I do not even know what you have been speaking about.’
“So anyway, she could not get previous Jessica Rakoczy…and she or he’s somebody I dominated and completed. And so, like I mentioned, we have had this brew for a very long time now, and it is a combat that is been occurring for a really very long time, since 2013. I have not forgotten that.
Julianna Pena would slightly combat ‘Rocky’ than Mayra Bueno Silva for bantamweight title
With Mayra Bueno Silva’s spectacular submission win over ex-champ Holly Holm earlier this month, many have steered that she, and never Raquel Pennington, is the girl who ought to combat Julianna Pena for the vacant girls’s bantamweight world title. Nonetheless, ‘The Venezuelan Vixen’ would not see it that manner, suggesting {that a} combat with ‘Rocky’ wouldn’t solely be extra necessary, but in addition as a result of there are private points that also have to be addressed along with his former TUF teammate.
“I believe, yeah, it is (a much bigger combat), as a result of she’s on a five-fight profitable streak and she or he’s been crying for a title shot because the final time she got here off the stool,” Peña mentioned. “So it is time for her to have one other whooping**, I assume.”
Who would you wish to see Julianna Pena face off in opposition to for the vacant 135-pound crown?
