“Why not look too far ahead? I did not get into this sport to be at the bottom roster. I got into this sport to let the world know that I’m the toughest 135-pound female fighter in the world. I’m 6-0, Ronda’s 6-0; I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility, so I’m looking to be in a title shot. Jessica Eye, after her loss to Miesha Tate, if she would have won, she would have been next in line for a title shot, so why not me?”
-After her win at UFC 192, Julianna Pena looked to the future and the possibility of her next fight being against Ronda Rousey for the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship (via MMAJunkie.com).
Penick’s Analysis: Pena’s won two fights since returning from injury, and she continues to look like a very good competitor in this division. However, she’s still down the line a bit in the division. The win over Eye wasn’t in a spectacular performance that demands a title fight next, and Miesha Tate is ahead of her on the roster right now. Of course, Tate was ahead of Holly Holm as well, so anything can obviously happen in this division. Still, Cris Cyborg, if she drops down, will also be ahead of Pena, and I think she’s going to be looking at end of 2016 through mid 2017 as the earliest she’ll get that opportunity.
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