Julianna Pena waited more than two years to get back into the octagon for a chance to fight for the title, and that time paid off when she recaptured the women’s bantamweight belt from Raquel Pennington in the UFC 307 co-main event.
Although the sentiment from the overwhelming majority in the MMA community is that Peña (11-5 MMA, 8-2 UFC) was gifted the gold with a controversial split decision over Pennington at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, she is the winner nonetheless and is certainly going to bring more spice to the weight class.
How long will Peña be able to hold the throne, though? Whether her Amanda Nunes trilogy request comes to life or Kayla Harrison gets her crack at the belt, it’s almost certain Peña will be a sizeable betting underdog when she attempts to defend for the first time.
Which direction is the division headed? Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis on Peña’s future after her UFC 307 title victory.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 307.
