Amanda Nunes has booked her next title defense as she returns to the bantamweight division to face Julianna Pena at UFC 265 on Aug. 7.
The fight was first announced by UFC President Dana White via ESPN with Pena’s manager Oren Hodak, president of KO Reps, also confirming the news to MMA Fighting.
Pena had called for a title opportunity against Nunes after her most recent win in a bout against Sara McMann; she submitted the Olympic silver medalist by rear-naked choke in the third round at UFC 257.
Overall, Pena has gone 2-2 in her past four fights with an additional win over former UFC flyweight champion Nicco Montano. Her losses came in bouts against Germaine de Randamie and reigning 125-pound queen Valentina Shevchenko.
The fight will serve as Nunes’ first bout back at 135 pounds since she dispatched de Randamie by unanimous decision in December 2019. Her past two wins have come at featherweight as she’s dispatched Felicia Spencer and Megan Anderson in back-to-back fights.
Widely regarded as the greatest women’s mixed martial artist of all time, Nunes has won 12 fights in a row overall, including nine straight wins in title fights. She holds victories over every single person to ever touch gold at bantamweight or featherweight in UFC history.
As of now, Nunes vs. Pena is the only fight confirmed for the UFC 265 pay-per-view with a date and location for the event still to be determined.
