DALLAS – Amanda Nunes says she intentionally dragged her UFC 277 fight with Julianna Peña to the final bell in order to prove a point.
Nunes (22-5 MMA, 15-2 UFC) avenged her stunning upset loss to Peña (11-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) on Saturday at American Airlines Center in Dallas with a lopsided beatdown over the course of five rounds that resulted in a unanimous decision win to regain the women’s bantamweight title.
Despite three knockdowns in the fight and opening a nasty cut on Peña’s forehead, Nunes was unable to stop the fight inside the distance. She said that was all by design, though, and she could’ve forced a stoppage on multiple occasions.