SALT LAKE CITY – Raquel Pennington is comfy with how she’s profession herself as UFC girls’s bantamweight champion, regardless of what Julianna Pena thinks.
Forward of Saturday’s UFC 307 co-main occasion title combat at Delta Middle (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPNews, ESPN+), the challenger and former titleholder Peña put Pennington on blast throughout media day.
Peña (10-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) mentioned Pennington (16-8 MMA, 13-5 UFC) “has not been a great illustration of the ladies’s bantamweight division,” and thinks she has been doing a disservice together with her place. Pennington doesn’t agree with that evaluation.
“Everyone knows that Julianna has a grasp’s diploma in ‘Yapology,’” Pennington informed MMA Junkie and different reporters at Wednesday’s UFC 307 media day. “All she does is speak sh*t. She retains herself related that method. To take a seat right here and say I turned down ‘Embedded.’ How does she know something about what I’m doing? It’s fascinating. However she simply yaps and she or he talks. However on the finish of the day I’ve all the time been me. I keep genuine to who I’m. I don’t have to go on the market and do all the additional sh*t speaking and whatnot.
“This (belt) is 14 years of arduous work. I acquired right here simply staying in my lane, and also you wish to name me a horrible illustration? I didn’t see her doing any higher. She had the most important upset after which she rotated and she or he acquired her ass handed to her for 5 rounds. So the place’s the illustration in that? However I can let you know for positive I’m right here to remain. And nonetheless.”
Pennington is used to Peña’s speak at this level. The pair had been roommates on Season 18 of “The Final Fighter” actuality sequence. They initially tried to bond, however shortly thereafter, each girls realized their personalities didn’t mesh.
It’s been greater than a decade of ready to combat one another since then. Pennington admits Peña very a lot rubs her the incorrect method, however she intends to channel that right into a dominant efficiency to realize her first title protection.
“It’s a combat that I’ve wished for a really very long time, nevertheless it’s taken 11 years to get right here,” Pennington mentioned. “For sure I’m tremendous excited for this one. The animosity is she’s undoubtedly somebody who will get below my pores and skin. Completely. I didn’t know Julianna going into the (TUF) home, after which I simply rapidly discovered her persona. So it’s simply been years the place it’s like, ‘Hey, let’s do that.’”
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