Pena rips Nunes for retiring at UFC 289: 'WTF was that?'

Former champion Julianna Pena doesn't appear to be thrilled that Amanda Nunes hung up the gloves Saturday following a successful title defense at UFC 289.

Pena was scheduled to face Nunes for the third time at the event but had to withdraw due to an injury. After Nunes dominated replacement opponent Irene Aldana and announced her retirement from MMA, Pena accused the champ of ducking her on Twitter.

Pena ended Nunes' lengthy bantamweight reign in shocking fashion in December 2021, but Nunes regained the throne with a dominant victory in their July 2022 rematch.

Nunes said at the postfight press conference Saturday she knew UFC 289 would be her retirement fight as soon as she agreed to square off with Aldana.

"If it was Julianna Pena tonight, I wouldn't have retired," Nunes said. "I wanted to fight somebody that I had never fought before to retire. Tonight wouldn't have been the night. I would've beaten Julianna, then fought Aldana or whatever and then retire."

Many MMA retirements don't last forever, but Nunes said she doesn't think she'll come back.

She plans to travel, spend more time with her family, and work as an MMA coach. Nunes said watching someone become the new champion wouldn't entice her to come back to try to regain the throne.

"I'm going to have my belts at home with me," Nunes said. "That's going to be the fake one. It's going to be fake forever. Whoever gets the belt now is going to be pretending they have it.

"Yeah, I'm gone. I'm good. I did everything. I'm all taken care of in my life."

As far as Pena's comments go, Nunes couldn't help but laugh when her name was brought up.

"What do I say about that girl?" Nunes said. "She was supposed to be here. I was supposed to beat her tonight again. She was the one who doesn't know how to (train), breaking the ribs, what am I going to do about it?"

UFC president Dana White said Pena will likely be involved in the vacant 135-pound title bout, but Nunes doesn't see "The Venezuelan Vixen" getting the belt back.

"I think Aldana can beat her," Nunes said. "I feel like (Pena) got lucky in that fight against me. She knows I wasn't ready. I proved (that) in the second fight, and I don't think she's going to be a champion. She's not ready to be a champion."