Veteran UFC commentator Jon Anik isn`t entirely confident Julianna Pena will reclaim the women`s bantamweight championship this Saturday at UFC 316 in Newark. However, he firmly believes the matchup is far more competitive on paper than the current betting odds and a significant portion of the MMA community suggest.
Anik, who will be part of the commentary team alongside Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier, has witnessed enough of Pena`s career to know she should never be counted out. He points to “The Venezuelan Vixen`s” performance nearly four years ago, where she pulled off one of the most shocking upsets in UFC history to initially capture the title.
“I recently re-watched the first fight between Amanda Nunes and Julianna Pena [at UFC 269], and that`s all the footage I needed,” Anik shared. He recounted how Pena`s head coach, Rick Little, has consistently emphasized over the years just how mean and nasty she is. Anik himself describes her as possessing an incredibly tough and relentless demeanor, highlighting attributes like exceptional toughness, deep cardio, unwavering self-belief, and a genuine desire to compete in demanding exchanges. He stresses that Pena never looks for an easy way out or opts to tap when facing adversity.
Anik believes these characteristics are exactly what Pena needs when facing an exceptionally accomplished opponent like two-time Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison. He notes that Harrison faces a significant hurdle even before stepping into the octagon – the weight cut. Anik openly wonders aloud how many times Harrison will realistically be able to make the bantamweight limit to defend the belt, should she win it.
He points out the practical absence of a women`s featherweight division in the UFC currently, suggesting there are numerous uncertainties surrounding Kayla Harrison`s long-term future in the bantamweight division. Despite these questions on Harrison`s side, Anik expresses considerable optimism regarding Julianna Pena`s wealth of experience, her sheer doggedness, and her resilient “never say die” attitude, acknowledging that while the phrase might sound cliché, it accurately describes Pena.
Pena secured her second title reign by defeating Raquel Pennington via decision at UFC 307 last October. Kayla Harrison also made her second promotional appearance on the same card following a highly successful run in the PFL, earning a unanimous decision victory over Ketlen Vieira.
The lead-up to the fight has been marked by Pena`s persistent verbal attacks on Harrison, notably accusing her of using steroids throughout her career – an accusation Harrison recently addressed publicly.
While some perceive Pena`s approach to promoting fights as somewhat awkward or “cringy,” Anik suggests it`s part of a larger, intentional strategy for Pena.
Anik comments on Pena`s apparent athleticism and striking accuracy, particularly during critical moments in her first fight against Amanda Nunes. He emphasizes that combat sports can often turn on a single pivotal moment, and Pena possesses the capability to create such a moment early in the fight, which could drastically alter the entire dynamic of the contest.
He concedes that one could extensively praise Kayla Harrison, who enters the fight as a significant 6-to-1 favorite, a margin Anik perhaps views as excessively large. Nevertheless, he reiterates that Julianna Pena has historically been counted out and is currently being underestimated once again. Even if her fight promotion style causes some friction, Anik states that, if taken at her word, he appreciates her approach and confidence. The primary obstacle for Pena, he suggests, might simply be that her opponent, Kayla Harrison, is exceptionally skilled.
A lingering narrative surrounding this bout is the potential return of Amanda Nunes, the former two-division champion who retired as the bantamweight titleholder after her dominant victory over Irene Aldana at UFC 289 in June 2023. Nunes, who holds a 1-1 record in her two previous fights with Pena, hinted at a comeback at the initial pre-fight press conference in April. A fantasy matchup between Nunes and Harrison has been a topic of discussion among fans and analysts for years.
Will Nunes return? In Jon Anik`s view, the likelihood of her comeback is closely tied to who emerges victorious on Saturday night.
Anik sees limited non-monetary incentive for Amanda Nunes to engage in a third fight against Julianna Pena, suggesting that a fight against Kayla Harrison would be the primary motivation to bring her out of retirement.
He contrasts this with situations that have significant potential downsides, like a heavily favored sports team defending a championship. For Amanda Nunes, focusing purely on legacy, her status as the greatest women`s mixed martial arts athlete of all time is being actively challenged by contenders like Zhang Weili and Valentina Shevchenko, who continue to build impressive win streaks. Anik ponders whether the pursuit of legacy, or simply financial gain, would be enough to prompt Amanda Nunes` return.
He concludes by stating that Amanda Nunes` position as the greatest women`s mixed martial artist of all time has indeed faced substantial challenges over the past year, largely due to the performances of Valentina Shevchenko and Zhang Weili.
