UFC 269: Amanda Nunes promises to finish Julianna Peña and opens doors for Kayla Harrison fight

Owner of bantamweight (up to 61kg) and featherweight (up to 66kg) belts and coming from 12 consecutive victories. Amanda Nunes’ retrospective speaks for itself and the confidence shown by the Lioness before facing Julianna Peña in the co-main event of UFC 269 is justifiable. For the confrontation this Saturday, in Las Vegas (USA), the Brazilian guaranteed that the fight will not reach the judges’ decision and believes that the American is making the same mistake as her other opponents.

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– Everyone knows that I have very great knockout power and, if I find a hole, I will definitely knock it out. If I find fault on the ground, I can finish. Do not blink the eye. Guys from Brazil, stay tuned on the television because I’m going to wait for her to make a mistake and, for sure, I’m going to finish this fight. I think when the cage door closes, everyone is dangerous. She’s an athlete who has nothing to lose, I’m the one who has, she’ll come out on top with everything. I have to be well prepared to assimilate these moments, not play her game. That’s what she wants to do, come to “dirty boxing”, grab, that she thinks in her head that it’s the way she’s going to beat me, and several opponents, like her friend Miesha Tate, have the same style. I have experience with this type of fighter, everyone comes to grab me, but I come from grappling. They are thinking the wrong way. Julianna is thinking the same way as all the opponents I’ve won – she said, when Combate.com.

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Amanda Nunes plays the co-main event of UFC 269 against Julianna Peña this Saturday — Photo: Evelyn Rodrigues

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At 33, Amanda said that she still intends to fight for a long time and that she is surprised in training with her own ability to evolve.

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– I’ll defend that belt until I’m not walking anymore. I like to feel the adrenaline of “Fight Week”, I like everything that involves fighting, I enjoy it, it’s hard to say goodbye because to live and breathe I need the adrenaline of fighting. If you take that adrenaline, I die. It’s part of my life and I’m very happy. We say “I’m going to retire” and everything, because my mother wants to, she always says: “This is the last one, right, my daughter?”. But it’s very difficult to talk. I’ve already thought, I look at the belt and there’s no way I can’t put it into play. Has no way. Are you going to be an ornament now? I’ll put it into play. I’m fine, healthy, evolving, I learn something new from my coaches every time, I manage to apply in sparring, improve at all times. It motivates me. Knowing that I’m going to be 34 years old and I’m still reaching a level that surprises me myself. Things I do in training and I want to see him come out of the fight. I have great expectations, like you too.

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This Wednesday, UFC president Dana White said he is negotiating with two-time PFL champion Kayla Harrison, teammate of Amanda Nunes on American Top Team (ATT). The Brazilian declared that this would not be an obstacle for them to face each other for the featherweight belt, if Ultimate hires the American.

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– This is MMA, it already happens a lot in the gym, many athletes fight among themselves, there’s no way to avoid it, it’s an open gym. She even trains with my trainers too, that’s it. Suddenly, if it happens, we are there, I have to defend. Then there won’t be any problem meeting us at the gym, training again, that’s really professional. The category is open, UFC is an event looking for new talents, Kayla is very talented, strong, she has a lot to offer – he concluded.

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UFC 269
December 11, 2021, in Las Vegas (USA)
MAIN CARD (0am, Brasília time):
Lightweight: Charles of the Bronx x Dustin Poirier
Gallicweight: Amanda Nunes x Julianna Peña
Welterweight: Geoff Neal vs Santiago Ponzinibbio
Flyweight: Kai Kara-France x Cody Garbrandt
Bantamweight: Raulian Paiva x Sean O’Malley
PRELIMINARY CARD (19:30, Brasília time):
Peso-pen: Josh Emmett x Dan Ige
Bantamweight: Pedro Munhoz x Dominick Cruz
Heavyweight: Augusto Sakai x Tai Tuivasa
Middleweight: Jordan Wright vs Bruno Armored
Middleweight: André Sergipano x Eryk Anders
Flyweight: Miranda Maverick x Erin Blanchfield
Peso-mosca: Alex Perez x Matt Schnell
Penalty: Ryan Hall x Darrick Minner
Peso-galo: Randy Costa x Tony Kelley
Flyweight: Gillian Robertson x Priscila Pedrita