UFC fighter Julianna Pena has adamantly denied having received surgery following her bantamweight title fight with Amanda Nunes Sunday night. Before losing her title in the rematch against Nunes, Pena sustained a massive gash that UFC President Dana White said took a “big chunk” out of her forehead. White also said that she was going to see a plastic surgeon, but Pena refuted these claims, calling the injury a “cat scratch” and clarifying that she only needed a few stitches.

Pena’s fight against Nunes Sunday was a rematch from last December in Las Vegas when Pena upset the champion with a rear naked choke submission in the second round to win the title. Nunes returned as a heavy favorite going into the second matchup and won in five rounds by unanimous decision.

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The highlight of Nunes’ victory, however, came in the third round, when the new champ pinned Pena to the mat and began striking at open cuts along the top of her opponent’s forehead. Blood splattered across the mat and began to flow freely down Pena’s face, concealing the gruesome injury.

Amanda Nunes Surgery?

Though White said that Pena was seeing a plastic surgeon in a press conference after the match, Pena later clarified on Instagram that she only required stitches for what she considered to be a minor injury. She also seemed intent on finishing the trilogy.

“Tougher than a two-dollar steak. Thanks for the love, everyone! Just a cat scratch that required a few stitches, no chunks missing, no surgery necessary. Love you all! We’re 1-1 now,” Pena said.

Pena and Nunes’ fight was the main event of UFC 272, an event at the American Airlines Centre in Dallas. The pair headlined a 13-match card that also included interim men’s flyweight champion Brandon Moreno, who defeated Kai Kara-France with a knockout in the third round.

Tonight’s UFC 277 main card will headline two champion fights that fans won’t want to miss.

The event, which will take place in the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, will include two championship fights and rematches. 

The main event will feature a highly anticipated rematch of Julianna Pena and Amanda Nunes, who has seven title defenses over two divisions. 

Before shocking losing to Pena in December, Nunes was on a 12-fight win streak. 

But Pena has not been intimidated. 

“It’s frustrating,” Pena said during a UFC press conference.

“They say that [Nunes] slipped on a banana peel and that’s why she lost that night and I don’t think that’s the case. We’re going to run it back and do it again and then maybe you guys will finally put some respect on my name.” 

UFC President Dana White noted that the stair down between Nunes and Pena on Thursday is one of his top-viewed videos of all time on his Instagram account. 

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The fight before Nunes and Pena will feature men’s flyweights Brandon Moreno and Kai Kara France. 

The first time the two fought in 2019, it was an entertaining one that resulted in Moreno winning by unanimous decision. 

But this time, the stakes will be higher and the winner will take home the interim flyweight belt. 

“I prepared myself for another war,” Moreno said in a pre-fight conference. 

 “I’m ready for whatever.”

The reason why there’s a vacant belt is that champion Deiveson Figueiredo had to pull out due to injuries. 

The Brazilian mixed martial artist (MMA) fought Moreno three times – with Figueiredo winning the most recent bout by unanimous decision.

Moreno beat Figueiredo and took home the belt the second time the two squared off in June 2021. 

The rest of the full main card for UFC 277 is as follows for tonight: 

• Derick Lewis versus Sergei Pavlovich
• Alexandre Pantoja versus Alex Perez
• Magomed Ankalaev versus Anthony Smith

The prelim fights will begin at 8 pm ET and can be watched on ABC, ESPN or ESPN+ at 8 pm.

The PPV kicks off at 10 pm ET and can be watched on ESPN+ for $74.99. 

The co-main event of UFC 259 will see the long-awaited return of Amanda Nunes in the octagon. Nunes is regarded as the greatest female mixed martial arts fighter of all time. Nunes currently has a 20-4 record and is the current featherweight champion, will defend the title against Megan Anderson on Saturday.

Nunes, known as the “Lioness,” has been on fire lately, winning 11 fights in a row. The two-time UFC champion has dominated the opponents who have been placed in front of her. The only exception being Valentina Shevchenko. Nunes is known to be speedy and powerful striker. The skills that she possesses are what led her to be regarded as the greatest female MMA fighter of all time.

Currently, Nunes is the favorite to win the matchup against Anderson. Anderson, who is relatively new to the UFC but not to MMA. The 31-year-old may boast a 3-2 record so far, but she has been good in the Invicta FC, another fighting company. During her time there, she accumulated an 8-2 record and held the Invicta FC Featherweight Championship.

While the 31-year-old could be written off, she is still capable of posing a challenge to Nunes. Anderson is known for being an aggressive fighter putting pressure on the opponent. Not only that, but the former Invicta fighter has impressive KO power that has led to various knockouts in her career.

UFC couple Amanda Nunes and Nina Ansaroff announced Thursday that they are expecting their first child together, according to an Instagram post from Ansaroff. “I am excited to announce that Baby Raegan Ann Nunes will be here mid September! I cannot wait to meet her! I am carrying and still plan on fighter after she is born,” Ansaroff wrote. MMA Junkie confirmed that Ansaroff is pregnant but has no plans of retiring and will continue to fight “not too long after” the baby is born.

Nunes who is the reigning featherweight and bantamweight women’s UFC champion also posted the same picture on her Instagram that showed the couple holding an infant’s dress and pair of shoes with the caption “I wanna tell every single person on this planet that…. Raegan Ann Nunes will be here mid September! I cannot wait to see her.”

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The two fighters initially met at an MMA gym in Florida in 2012 and have been open about starting a family together ever since their engagement in 2018. Nunes previously told USA Today how helpful it is to be in a relationship with someone in the same profession.

“For sure, being in a relationship with someone who understands what is going on helps my fighting,” Nunes said. “But on the other side, because we are fighters helps to make the relationship stronger. We understand the work that we put in and we respect each other. We met through fighting, and it brings us closer. If I am cutting weight, she helps. This has helped make me champion. It helps me to be calm because I know Nina understands,” she added. “She knows everything that goes into being a fighter, so I don’t have to explain why I am doing this or that. Sometimes getting ready to fight is a difficult time, but she makes it easy for me, and I try to do the same for her.”

Hours before the announcement UFC president Dana White confirmed Nunes will defend her 145-pound title against Felicia Spencer on May 9 at UFC 250. The event will be held in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will make his next title defense against Thiago Santos at UFC 239 on July 6 in Las Vegas, UFC president Dana White told ESPN this week.

Jon Jones To Face Thiago Santos

The 205-pound bout will headline the pay-per-view event, which will take place at T-Mobile Arena. Additional sources confirmed that bout agreements have not been signed, but all parties have verbally agreed to the fight.

Jones, being at the center of a lot of controversy in the UFC throughout the years, is back on the right track and is ready to make another title defense against Thiago Santos.

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Jones, who seemed to be good in spirits, took to Instagram to joke about who his next possible fight could be against. Jones, having a history of dominating his opponents in the Octagon, looks to be in good shape against Santos when they face off.

Jones, who has a record of 24-1, is seen as — if not the best — one of the greatest fighters in the history of combat sports. Being well versed in area of MMA, Jones specializes in stand up and strikes. He’s a master kick boxer with great reach. He has a lot of size and uses it to pressure his opponents.

Amanda Nunes and Holly Holm will also be facing off for a belt that night. Nunes is a knockout artist in the octagon again after three straight title defenses. She moved up to the 145-pound featherweight division in December and upset Cris “Cyborg” Justino in a first-round knockout for the UFC’s featherweight championship.

In the match vs Cyborg, viewers got to see how truly dominant and scary Nunes can really be. With Cyborg having a past using PEDS and other forms of steroids, many felt that her raw strength would be too much for her.

Nunes quickly proved everyone wrong in that stunning first-round knockout she had recorded on the night. Nunes had first won the belt back in 2016 in a dominant win over former champion Miesha Tate.

Former champion Holly Holm, is looking to win her belt back with this fight. Holm had originally became the champion in 2015 when she upset former fighter and future Hall of Famer Ronda Rousey.

Rousey had become an icon in the sports world and a symbol of strength in the female community as a whole. Winning several fighter of the years, to appearing in movies, Rousey at a time was one of the most popular people in the world. All of this is what made her upset even that more shocking.

Holm came into the ring and knocked Rousey out in the first round. In what had been a very dominant performance for Holm, she would later injure herself and lose the title to Miesha Tate before making this return. Holm is coming off of a win against Megan Anderson last June and hopes to carry that energy with her into the fight with Nunes.

Amanda Nunes has made clear she feels remorseful for her verbal jab at Ronda Rousey.

Amanda Nunes Apologizes To Ronda Rousey For Diss After UFC 207

Nunes, the UFC bantamweight women’s champion, took to Instagram on Tuesday to apologize to Rousey for some of the remarks and comments she made toward the former champion.

The pair met in the main event at UFC 207 on December 30. Merely 48 seconds into the fight, Nunes was able to defend her 135-pound title against Rousey, who turned 30 on Wednesday.

Moments after her victory, Nunes posted on Twitter an altered photo of Rousey’s face superimposed on a child in a stroller, while the 28-year-old Brazilian pushed her around.

Nunes followed up her post with strong words about the American.

“Forget Ronda Rousey,” Nunes said in her post-fight interview. “She’s going to go make movies now and retire.”

It appeared Nunes was upset at the time over the much larger promotion Rousey had received ahead of their fight, despite the fact Rousey had been upset by Holly Holm in a stunning loss over a year earlier, while the Brazilian had taken the bantamweight title. Nunes also felt the UFC had coddled Rousey by allowing her to have very few media sessions prior to their bout.

“I feel like UFC want to make it easy for her, so she doesn’t feel like she’s not the champion anymore,” Nunes told reporters before UFC 207 (via USA Today). “They want to do this to make her feel strong or something. They try to promote her so she can see that — ‘Ronda, Ronda, Ronda.’ . . .

“They want to make things more soft for her.”

However, Nunes softened her tone in her apology via Instagram on Tuesday:

“Let me take a moment to explain myself,” Nunes wrote while posting a picture of her and Rousey during their fight. “I was overwhelmed with adrenaline, emotion and hurt at the time. I held so much in during the weeks prior to my fight with Ronda. I might have said or posted some things at the time that I now realize was not the right thing to do. I want to apologize to Ronda. Her fans and mine and the UFC as well. Ronda is an amazing athlete and has done so much for this sport, especially for the women. #respect”

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Earlier on Tuesday, UFC president Dana White said he’d had a “conversation” with Rousey that led him to conclude her MMA career was “probably done.”

“She’s so competitive that, her career and record meant everything to her,” White said of Rousey. “And then once she lost, she started to say to herself, ‘What the [expletive] am I doing? This is my whole life. This is it? I want to experience and start doing other things.’ ”

LAS VEGAS, NV – DECEMBER 30: (R-L) Amanda Nunes of Brazil punches Ronda Rousey in their UFC women’s bantamweight championship bout during the UFC 207 event on December 30, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Miesha Tate has questioned Ronda Rousey’s mental focus while backing Rousey’s opponent, reigning champion Amanda Nunes, to win their upcoming bantamweight title fight on December 30 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Miesha Tate Explains Why She Backs Amanda Nunes To Beat Ronda Rousey

Rousey, the 29-year-old former bantamweight champion, is returning to the octagon after a year-long hiatus following her brutal knockout loss to Holly Holm last November, when she surrendered the title.

Tate, 30, announced her retirement following her recent loss to Raquel Pennington at UFC 205 and is well aware of Rousey’s strengths and weaknesses, as they previously faced each other on two occasions, both of which she lost via submission. Tate seems to believe Rousey (12-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) may not be the same fighter she was before given her loss to Holm.

The now-retired fighter has also thrown her weight behind “good girl” Nunes (13-4 MMA, 6-1 UFC), who defeated Tate earlier in the year to clinch the bantamweight title, claiming that she deserves the win. The Brazilian Nunes is confident she can beat Rousey, and said she has trained her entire career to fight the American.

“I guess what’s really difficult for me to decide is what we’re going to get out of Rousey,” Tate said, as quoted by Townsville Bulletin. “Is she doing it because she wants to or is she doing it before she feels obligated? Is that knockout going to be in the back of her mind? Is she going to be punch shy? It’s kind of like – I remember when I went skiing for the first time, I was like 5 years old and I just blitzed down the hill. I had no fear. The first time that I wrecked really, really hard is when I realized this is actually dangerous … so you kind of wonder what has that put in the back of her mind?”

Tate (18-7 MMA, 5-4 UFC) continued: “I know that Amanda is a very solid fighter and she hits like a ton of bricks. She’s a very worthy opponent. It should be interesting… I want Amanda to win. She’s a sweetheart and a good girl. I think she deserves it,” she added.

Caption:LAS VEGAS, NV – JANUARY 31: Miesha Tate waits for the start of of her bantamweight fight against Sara McMann during UFC 183 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on January 31, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tate won the fight by majority decision. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images)

Ronda Rousey is set to return to the Octagon 13 months after losing her title in a shocking upset.

Ronda Rousey Returning To UFC With Bantamweight Title Fight Vs Amanda Nunes

The 29-year-old mixed martial artist will attempt to reclaim the UFC bantamweight title against the current champion, Amanda Nunes, at UFC 207 in Las Vegas on Dec. 30. UFC president Dana White announced the news Wednesday afternoon.

Rousey was considered a trailblazer of MMA, winning fights in only a few seconds, before she was surprisingly knocked out by the left foot of Holly Holm in November.

Since then, Rousey has largely remained out of the spotlight, compared to 2015, during which she appeared on several magazine covers as the face of the UFC. She has also suffered from multiple minor injuries.

The bantamweight division that Rousey once led has seen several different winners since she lost her title last year. Holm lost her own first title defense in March to Miesha Tate, who in turn lost to Nunes in July. Contrarily, Rousey defended the title six consecutive times from 2013 to 2015.

Rousey struggled severely against Holm, who is a former boxer. She has also gained notoriety as master of the armbar submission. However, Nunes is a Brazilian jujitsu black belt, and also has a background in judo, where Rousey got her start.

Nunes, 28, sent a message to Rousey on TMZ early Thursday: “My message to her is to say thank you, this fight’s going to change my life, my career and I hope she’s ready,” Nunes said. “I know she’s a very tough opponent, but I’m the best in the world.”

New York recently became the last state to legalize mixed martial arts. Add the return of Rousey, and it seems like a banner end to the year for the promotion, which was recently sold for $4 billion.

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – AUGUST 01: Ronda Rousey of the United States (red) fights Bethe Correia of Brazi (blue) l in their bantamweight title fight during the UFC 190 Rousey v Correia at HSBC Arena on August 1, 2015 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

With the world of mixed martial arts still reeling from the announcement that Jon “Bones” Jones was pulled out of UFC 200 for a possible banned substance, UFC President Dana White was in desperate need of stability.

White was granted that wish when UFC veteran and MMA legend Anderson Silva (33-7-1) agreed to face light heavyweight title-holder Daniel Cormier (17-1) , on two days notice, as a replacement for Jones.

Anderson Silva Answers Call To Replace Jon ‘Bones’ Jones At UFC 200

The bout will be fought at 205 pounds (light heavyweight standard), for three rounds and no titles will be at stake.

“I think it’s an interesting, fun fight. Anderson Silva is undefeated at 205,” White told reporters after Thursday’s UFC Fight Night. “And not just undefeated, but devastatingly undefeated. Every time he’s moved up to 205 he’s looked better than he did at 185.”

Silva has fought three times at 205, knocking out James Irvin (2008), Forrest Griffin (2009) and Stephan Bonnar (2012), all in the first round.

SILVA KOs GRIFFIN IN FIRST ROUND

“I just felt really bad for Daniel, you know,” White told ESPN’s Brett Okamoto. “This is a big fight, financially and every other way. So yea I wanted to keep him a fight and I’ve been working since the fight (with Jones) fell out.”

Silva, 41, had to withdraw from a UFC 198 fight on May 10, just four days before the event due to abdominal pain, prompting surgery to remove the Brazilian’s gall bladder.

White acknowledged that Silva’s health was a concern, ‘Spider’ reassured the UFC’s top dog that he was healthy enough to get back in the cage.

Two other fighters were considered: Gegard Mousasi, who is already scheduled to fight Thiago Sanchez at UFC 200, and Dan Henderson, for whom White says he has “other plans” in the works.

Silva accepted the fight one day before weigh ins and according to the UFC veteran, he had not been training to fight anyone.

“I haven’t trained in a few months,” Silva said through a translator. “But I think I’m in good enough condition to go in there and put on a good fight.”

One of the most decorated fighters in the history of MMA, Silva is a former middleweight champion whom held the title for a record 2,457 which included 16 consecutive wins and 10 title defenses.

His age has shown however in the last few years.

WEIDMAN VS> SILVA I

Silva’s last bout came in February, a decision loss to now-Middleweight Champion Michael Bisping.

Coincidentally, in Silva’s previous fight with Nick Diaz at UFC 183 in Jan. 2015, after initially earning a unanimous decision victory over Diaz, the bout was ruled a no contest after he tested positive for two anabolic steroids and Diaz results revealed traces of marijuana.

And now the 6-foot-2, 3rd degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu will replace another UFC legend due to a possible failed test for performance enhancers.

For Cormier, Silva’s recent stumble doesn’t matter.

“I am honored to share the Octagon with the one of the greatest fighters of all time,” Cormier said in a statement to mmafighting.com.

“This is a very tough fight for me, and I have to fight smart and to do my best in order to win this fight. Thank you Anderson for stepping up, and thanks to Dana White and the UFC for making this happen. Now let’s go do this.”

Silva’s last win came win came over Stephan Bonner via TKO at UFC 153 in Oct. 2012. Since, he is winless in four fights, a streak started when Chris Weidman took Silva’s middleweight title from him with a shocking, second round knockout.

The pair’s rematch a year later has become infamous on the internet. Silva lost the bout after breaking his leg when Weidman checked a leg kick. (If you’re into gruesome injuries, video below)

WARNING!!! GRAPHIC VIDEO: SILVA BREAKS LEG

Despite not having the UFC Light Heavyweight Title on the line, UFC 200 still has plenty of juice. White promoted the Miesha Tate vs. Amanda Nunes female bantamweight title bout to the headliner. Brock Lesnar and Mark Hunt will square off in the co-headliner in the heavyweight division.

The shortened, three-round format can be attributed to Silva’s lack of training . But for White, when Anderson Silva says he wants to fight, you let him fight.

“Anderson is giving Daniel the opportunity to fight, to make money and to perform on UFC 200,” White said. “So if Anderson wants three rounds, if Anderson wants two rounds, he’ll get it.”

With its biggest event of the year looming Saturday, this is the perfect time to get your hands on some UFC gear so you can look like a pro at your local watch party.

We at uGear have scoured the internet to find the best quality UFC apparel that will ship quick and not break the bank.

After being stripped of the title, Jon “Bones” Jones has been eager to realize an opportunity to retake what he feels belongs to him. After opponent, Daniel Cormier, injury his leg in training the fight was postponed, but the time has come.

Saturday the two will face off for the second time and “Bones” fans need a custom snapback to commemorate the occasion.

The REEBOK JON “BONES” JONES UFC SCRIPT SNAPBACK says it all.

With the words “The Wait Is Over,” printed in bold red lettering on the front, fight fans will wink and nod their approval when you strap on this snapback. The all-black hat is sleek and the “Jon ‘Bones’ Jones” nameplate will let everyone know who you’re pulling for to win the light heavyweight title.

AT $27.99 it’s affordable. But hurry so you can get it in time for UFC 200. Get it here

For all the Daniel Cormier Fans, here’s a snapback for you too!

REEBOK BLACK CONOR MCGREGOR UFC 194 FLEX

He was supposed to be the headliner at UFC 200, and although he will not fight, that doesn’t mean fans of Conor McGregor can’t still show their support for “The Notorious” one.

A holdover from UFC 194, but with no markings specific to that event, this McGregor flex fit is a steal at $23.99. Conor’s last name appears along the front in green, white and orange to recreate the Irish flag.

The perfect thing to where for a fight night, St. Paddy’s day, or any other day you choose to show off the colors of the Emerald Isle.

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MIESHA TATE BLACK UFC SIEGE SLIM FIT T-SHIRT

Ladies are just as avid fight fans as their male counterparts and the women’s division has vaulted the UFC to new heights in recent years. So it is only natural we showcase some ladies apparel.

Miesha Tate is one of the women responsible for the surge in the women’s division and she will defend her women’s bantamweight title against Amanda Nunes Saturday at UFC 200.

Support “Cupcake” with the UFC Siege Slim Fit Tee. The black color, coupled with the slender fit and complimented by the camo lettering across the front, make this more than your lay-around t-shirt.

You can represent Tate at the gym, on a run, or on fight night. At $24.99 this v-neck is rushing off the racks so get it before they are all out of stock. Get It Here