Amanda Nunes won a unanimous five-round decision over Julianna Pena in the main event of UFC 277 on Saturday night to regain the women’s bantamweight championship that she lost in December last year.
Nunes (22-5), nicknamed the Lioness, also holds the featherweight belt. The judges’ scoring was 50-45, 50-44 and 50-43.
“Double champ again, baby,” Nunes yelled to the crowd. “This is the best day ever.”
Photo: AFP
Pena beat Nunes at Las Vegas in December to claim the title in one of the biggest upsets in UFC history. Saturday’s fight was the first title defense for Pena (12-5) in the 135 pound (61kg) division.
Brandon Moreno won the co-main event with a third-round TKO over Kai Kara-France in a scheduled five-round bout to take possession of the interim men’s flyweight championship belt.
Nunes dropped Pena three times in the second round, twice on right hooks and then with a left to the forehead.
Nunes took down Pena midway through the third round and kept her on the mat, punching to the head to open cuts along Pena’s hairline that left blood splattered on the mat.
Nunes had Pena on her back again for much of the fourth and fifth rounds. Pena’s face was streaked with blood that stained much of the mat.
“I could have finished her, but I wanted to go five rounds with her tonight to prove I was better than her,” said Nunes, her right eye swollen nearly shut, using crutches to reach the interview session. “I could have gone six, seven rounds.”
Nunes came out and added a left-handed stance to her normal right-handed stance, saying she thought that confused Pena.
UFC president Dana White said Pena was taken from the arena after the fight to see a plastic surgeon about damage to her forehead.
“Julianna’s tough as nails,” White said. “Her will to win is second to none.”
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