Las Vegas, NV – UFC bantamweight Raquel Pennington is itching to fight for the vacant world title, but with so many rumors flying around as to who will fight for the belt, she’s left wondering what will happen.
“Obviously the world title is the ultimate goal for everybody. We all work so hard for this opportunity,” Pennington told Cageside Press at UFC X on Saturday.
“There’s a big change. There’s a vacant title out there. It’s different when Amanda (Nunes) was the champion. It’s like everybody has to work their way or whatever that looks like, and now it’s up for grabs for anybody.”
The title may be up for grabs for anybody, but few have the resume that Pennington has put together recently in order to qualify for that title fight. A five-fight win streak, accepted the backup role for Nunes vs. Irene Aldana at UFC 289, and a win against Aldana.
The other name up for the title fight is Julianna Peña who UFC president Dana White has already mentioned as a very possible participant for the bantamweight title.
“He (White) said that Julianna is obviously going to fight next for the world title. You cannot deny me. I’m number 2 in the world. I’m on a five-fight win streak. I’ve done everything that I needed to, to get back to right where I deserve to be,” she said.
“10 years ago Dana said he (saw) me and Julianna fighting on the finale of TUF. It didn’t work out that way, but here we are 10 years later. We can fight on the biggest stage for the ultimate goal.”
What if the UFC passes her up again, and gives someone else the title fight against Peña?
“Listen I’m not a sh*t talker, and I’ve never believed in that, but i’ll tell you what,” Pennington said before listing her five-fight win streak, ranking, fact that she was told she’d fight for the title sooner.
“If I am not up next for the world title it’s definitely going to bring out a different side in me to say the least.”
Watch the entire UFC X interview with Raquel Pennington above.
