Former UFC bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes has fired back at Julianna Peña’s controversial “mom champ” comments.
The Brazilian lost to Peña at UFC 269 last weekend in one of the most shocking upsets in UFC history.
Nunes had been on a run of 12 consecutive victories in the UFC and is considered by many to be the greatest female MMA star of all time.
But the 33-year-old was submitted via rear-naked choke in just the second round and looked a shadow of her usual self.
Following her remarkable victory, Peña stressed she was the first “mom champ” in the UFC.
The American gave birth to her daughter in 2018 and didn’t fight in the UFC between 2017 and 2019.
“The UFC absolutely needs to create a new belt for me. It needs to be ‘The Baddest Mom on the Planet,’” she said after the fight.
“And you know, I’m not trying to take away anything from Amanda. She’s a wonderful mother. But I gave birth to my daughter, and I know that I feel like, for giving birth, I am the first mom champ. And that, to me, is also a little feather in the cap.”
While Peña later clarified she wished no ill will on her opponent with regards to her comments, Nunes seemingly took offence to the inference she did not birth her own child.
Posting on her Instagram, she wrote: “I may not have birthed my daughter. If I wanted to I could have. I chose to watch from the outside, after going through the IVF procedure with Nina.
“It was truly heartbreaking to see many women break down in the waiting room, knowing they would never be able to carry their own and have to take another direction.
“This does not make these women any less of a MOM than Nina or I. As a MOM champion as well, I feel this needed to be said [Julianna Pena.]”
The Brazilian’s response could add fuel to the fire for a potential rematch between the pair next year.
Nunes and Peña are expected to fight each other again, with UFC President Dana White confirming the former champion will be offered a chance to win her title back.
It’s unclear at this point when the two will run it back, but hopefully, we’ll see them battle it out again in 2022.