Julianna Peña and Raquel Pennington by no means met within the octagon, however they spent a variety of time beneath the identical roof.
Ten years after their passage The Final Fighter 18Pena stated it TUFF castmate is now her prime precedence – and she or he has a rating to settle.
“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 would not hang around with them at night time whereas they have been sitting round a campfire speaking about me,” Peña stated on MMA hour. “Like, you are not my buddy. And I discovered that out actually shortly once we lived collectively for seven weeks.
Peña ended up profitable the present, whereas Pennington was eradicated by Jessica Rakoczy within the seminals. Throughout filming, the 2 shared a room and have been a part of the identical crew led by Miesha Tate. However they did not actually get alongside.
“She sleeps on prime of me,” Peña stated. “Earlier than she was knocked out of the competitors, she would keep up all night time 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, daily, we practiced twice a day, she would not come to apply. She was sleeping as a result of she had been up the night time earlier than.
“So within the morning, as a result of we’re the primary crew to go to the gymnasium that day – we had the primary practices – I get up to take my medication, I get up to pack my luggage, 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 goal.
“We dwell on prime of one another. We actually had the smallest room with three chicks in a single room. We dwell on prime of one another, and it isn’t my fault you stayed up all night time and drag your ass within the morning and do not even come to apply. And once more, that was earlier than she was knocked out of the competitors.
Peña discovered the extent of Pennington’s dislike of her throughout an interview for the UFC web site. Immediate for questions, she requested who Pennington would most prefer to beat in the home. The reply was her.
“And I stated, why me? Raquel, I put you in my excessive heels,” Peña stated. “I did your make-up so lovely. I gave you my clothes and I taught you how you can stroll like a woman, and now you are gonna kick me out of the home? What for? It is such BS. And she or he stated it was as a result of I used to be too loud, and I stated, ‘I am simply going to apply, 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 stated, we have had this shuffling for a very long time now, and it is a combat that is been due for a really very long time, since 2013. I have never forgotten that.
Peña stated the UFC advised her she would get the following title, and Pennington was her first alternative opponent. At the moment, the bantamweight belt sits vacant following the retirement of former two-division champion Amanda Nunes, whose trilogy with Peña was traded for a combat with Irene Aldana at UFC 289.
Pennington unsuccessfully challenged Nunes for the title at UFC 224, dropping by TKO within the fifth spherical. Since then, she has amassed a 6-2 file, profitable her final 5 fights. Peña, who submitted Nunes at UFC 269 to lose the belt in a direct rematch, stated TUFF Her rival’s file makes her a greater contender than Mayra Bueno Silva, who referred to as her after a submission victory over ex-champ Holly Holm.
Silva dissed Peña by saying a combat with Pennington would draw flies on the field workplace. Pena disagrees.
“I feel, yeah, it is (an even 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 for the reason that final time she got here off the stool,” Peña stated. “So it is time for her to fuck one other ass, I suppose.”
