Daniel Cormier has never been afraid to voice his opinions about fighters’ tactics, and following UFC 307, he wasn’t afraid to speak his mind regarding Julianna Peña’s choices made after the fight. In the co-main event, Peña defeated Raquel Pennington via split decision to regain her bantamweight belt. Despite her victory, Cormier feels Peña lost a lot of ground to Kayla Harrison, a fighter who many believe will be her next big rival.
The same evening, Harrison triumphed over Kelten Vieira through unanimous decision. With Peña’s post-fight interview with Joe Rogan featuring cameras showing Harrison watching the action from cageside, the timing appeared perfect for Peña to set up a clash with Harrison.
However, Peña decided to concentrate on a trilogy fight with Amanda Nunes rather than seizing the opportunity to fan the flames of a possible matchup with Harrison. Both Cormier and many of his followers were perplexed by this choice.
“Dropped the Ball”
Cormier’s appraisal was incisive and unambiguous: Peña overlooked a crucial opportunity. Cormier stated simply, “I will say this: She dropped the ball on the callout.” “Kayla appears on screen. Call her by name. Why would you undervalue the candidate who is undoubtedly going to be your top contender?
In the fight game, Cormier stressed the need to take the initiative and pointed out that Peña’s hesitancy might have cost her momentum. There is no scenario in which she doesn’t battle Kayla Harrison thereafter. “She’s going to fight her next,” he confidently said.
Cormier didn’t merely speak conjecture. A Peña vs. Harrison match is already highly anticipated in the mixed martial arts community, and Peña had the ideal opportunity to promote it in her post-fight interview. She created a gap in the story that Cormier feels could have been exploited by her by leaving Harrison out.
Constructing the Tale
As Cormier talked about how Peña could have taken advantage of the opportunity, his irritation was evident. “You might as well put the sell on it right now,” he replied. “Avoid waiting until the bout is declared. When you had the chance to be one step ahead, you’re now lagging behind.”
Cormier’s critique extended beyond the overlooked acknowledgement and encompassed Peña’s general strategy for establishing her legacy. In the realm of fighting, publicity is just as important as skill, and Peña had a fantastic chance to generate talk about her upcoming matchup with Harrison. She might have avoided the inevitable publicity that would have surrounded her fight with Harrison by opting to revive her feud with Nunes instead.
Harrison’s Performance: Outstanding But Not Perfect
It’s interesting to note that Cormier also brought up the fact that Harrison’s victory over Vieira wasn’t as overwhelming as some may have thought. Harrison, although well-known for her grappling abilities, is still honing her striking techniques, which may have contributed to Peña’s greater self-assurance. Cormier made a suggestion that Peña might have taken advantage of this angle and fueled the flames of a possible clash.
Cormier said, “So Julianna Peña should’ve, after this performance, been more willing to say her name,” meaning that Peña may have gained psychological ground on Harrison going into her next bout.
The Entire Image
Though the opportunity was lost, Julianna Peña has regained her title as bantamweight champion, and her win against Pennington cemented her position at the top of the class. Cormier said that Peña’s training camp at Valle Flow, under the direction of coach Mike Valle, currently has two UFC champions, which is a remarkable accomplishment for a gym that isn’t as well-known as some of the larger MMA establishments.
Even though Peña made a mistake this time, things will still work out in the end. The MMA community will be keenly observing when she and Harrison square off, as the excitement for that matchup will only increase. However, as Cormier stated, it’s not only about fighting; it’s about grabbing the opportunity, and Peña will have to do that when the spotlight is directed at her once more.
