Coach: Pena wants to fight Nunes, or Rousey, not Shevchenko

Julianna ‘The Venezuelan Vixen’ Pena is on a four-fight win streak, capped by a unanimous decision over Cat Zingano at UFC 200 on July 9, 2016. She is currently ranked the #5 contender in the women’s bantamweight division.

Champion: Amanda Nunes
1 Miesha Tate
2 Ronda Rousey
3 Valentina Shevchenko
4 Holly Holm
5 Julianna Pena
6 Cat Zingano
7 Sara McMann
8 Raquel Pennington
9 Liz Carmouche
10 Bethe Correia

There are indications that Rousey is going to come back, quite possible this year. She will get an immediate title shot. So that takes out the champion and #2 contender.

Tate and Pennington are fighting at UFC 205, so #1 is out.

Holm fought twice in 2016, losing her title to Miesha Tate, and then to Valentina Shevchenko, and may be taking some time off to recharge.

So Julianna Pena vs. Valentina Shevchenko was the obvious fight left. Shevchenko was sent a bout agreement for UFC 205, and signed. When nothing happened, Shevchenko took to her social network.

https://twitter.com/BulletValentina/status/779055433831022592

“>@ufc decided to make fight between me and

@ufc decided to make fight between me and @VenezuelanVixen at #ufc205 I did my part and signed boutAgreement. Looks like she wants to escape

— Valentina Shevchenko (@BulletValentina) September 22, 2016

“>@VenezuelanVixen at #ufc205 I did my part and signed boutAgreement. Looks like she wants to escape

— Valentina Shevchenko (@BulletValentina)

@ufc decided to make fight between me and @VenezuelanVixen at #ufc205 I did my part and signed boutAgreement. Looks like she wants to escape

— Valentina Shevchenko (@BulletValentina) September 22, 2016

“>September 22, 2016

However, Steven Marrocco for MMAjunkie spoke with Pena and her coach, Sikjitsu founder Rick Little, and they said they are not interested in the fight. They want to fight Nunes, and if Nunes is booked to fight Rousey, Pena wants the winner.

We don’t know what Amanda is doing, explained Little. The answer is no.

I don’t know why she even has a contract if it isn’t something they said we were going to do. Or maybe they assumed it would be something we’d jump on.

We don’t believe Ronda is even coming back, and until we see that, why would we sign a bout agreement with anybody else? It’s not even open for discussion. Amanda on Twitter said she’d fight us. Amanda made it clear we are the next deserving person for the title.

Little’s reference is several messages from Nunes, in which she said if Rousey isn’t ready to fight, then Pena was her choice. Pena also argued, not entirely plausibly, that if she can’t get an immediate title shot, why not a fight with Rousey?

If they don’t want me to fight for the title, why not let me fight Ronda?” she asked. “Why don’t they let a girl who’s coming off a loss fight a girl who’s never been beaten in the octagon? Why does [Rousey] automatically jump ahead and get a title shot?

Either let me fight Ronda, or let me fight for the title. Or she fights for the title and then has to fight me. I’m the real champ anyway, so why don’t they fight it out and come see me when they’re done?