La campeona Amanda Nunes dominó a Raquel ‘Rocky’ Pennington para retener la corona de peso gallo de UFC la noche del sábado en Río de Janeiro. El duelo femenil fue el evento principal de UFC 224, realizado en el Jeunesse Arena.
Nunes pareció lastimar mucho a Pennington en el cuarto round, cuando la retadora comenzó a sangrar profundamente de la nariz. Les dijo a sus entrenadores que no podía más, pero sus entrenadores la empujaron a seguir en la contienda.
Pennington fue noqueada a los 2:36 del quinto asalto.
“‘Rocky’ es una peleadora muy dura. Estaba preparada para pelear los cinco asaltos contra ella. Me sentí cómoda en cada round. Creo que esta pelea me ayudó a evolucionar porque fueron difíciles. Rocky y Tecia son mis amigas. Tenía que estar mentalmente preparado para eso. Pero esta es la razón de mi vida aquí. Siempre soñé en ser la mejor del mundo y hoy, aún soy”, dijo Nunes.
Amanda Nunes, left, from Brazil, left, fights Raquel Pennington, from the United States, during their UFC women’s bantamweight mixed martial arts bout in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Sunday, May 13, 2018. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) (Leo Correa / AP)
Amanda Nunes, top, from Brazil, fights Raquel Pennington, from the United States, during their UFC women’s bantamweight mixed martial arts bout in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Sunday, May 13, 2018. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) (Leo Correa / AP)
Amanda Nunes, from Brazil, celebrates after defeating Raquel Pennington, from the United States, during their UFC women’s bantamweight mixed martial arts bout in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Sunday, May 13, 2018. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) (Leo Correa / AP)
Amanda Nunes, top, from Brazil, top, fights Raquel Pennington, from the United States, during their UFC women’s bantamweight mixed martial arts bout in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Sunday, May 13, 2018. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) (Leo Correa / AP)
Raquel Pennington, from the United States, takes position as she fights Amanda Nunes, from Brazil, during their UFC women’s bantamweight mixed martial arts bout in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Sunday, May 13, 2018. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) (Leo Correa / AP)
Amanda Nunes, right, from Brazil, right, fights Raquel Pennington, from the United States, during their UFC women’s bantamweight mixed martial arts bout in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Sunday, May 13, 2018. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) (Leo Correa / AP)
Amanda Nunes, right, from Brazil, celebrates after defeating Raquel Pennington, from the United States, during their UFC women bantamweight mixed martial arts bout in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Sunday, May 13, 2018. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) (Leo Correa / AP)
Amanda Nunes, left, from Brazil, fights Raquel Pennington, from the United States, during their UFC women’s bantamweight mixed martial arts bout in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Sunday, May 13, 2018. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) (Leo Correa / AP)
Raquel Pennington, from the United States, leaves the octagon after losing the UFC women’s bantamweight mixed martial arts bout against Amanda Nunes, from Brazil, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Sunday, May 13, 2018. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) (Leo Correa / AP)
Brazilian fighter Amanda Nunes (R) competes against US fighter Raquel Pennington (L) during their women’s bantamweight title fight at the Ultimate Fighting Championship 224 (UFC 224) event at Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro on May 12, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / MAURO PIMENTELMAURO PIMENTEL/AFP/Getty Images ** OUTS - ELSENT, FPG, CM - OUTS * NM, PH, VA if sourced by CT, LA or MoD ** (MAURO PIMENTEL / AFP/Getty Images)
Brazilian fighter Amanda Nunes (L) competes against US fighter Raquel Pennington (R) during their women’s bantamweight title fight at the Ultimate Fighting Championship 224 (UFC 224) event at Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro on May 12, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / MAURO PIMENTELMAURO PIMENTEL/AFP/Getty Images ** OUTS - ELSENT, FPG, CM - OUTS * NM, PH, VA if sourced by CT, LA or MoD ** (MAURO PIMENTEL / AFP/Getty Images)
Brazilian fighter Amanda Nunes (L) competes against US fighter Raquel Pennington (R) during their women’s bantamweight title fight at the Ultimate Fighting Championship 224 (UFC 224) event at Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro on May 12, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / MAURO PIMENTELMAURO PIMENTEL/AFP/Getty Images ** OUTS - ELSENT, FPG, CM - OUTS * NM, PH, VA if sourced by CT, LA or MoD ** (MAURO PIMENTEL / AFP/Getty Images)
Brazilian fighter Amanda Nunes (R) competes against US fighter Raquel Pennington (L) during their women’s bantamweight title fight at the Ultimate Fighting Championship 224 (UFC 224) event at Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro on May 12, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / MAURO PIMENTELMAURO PIMENTEL/AFP/Getty Images ** OUTS - ELSENT, FPG, CM - OUTS * NM, PH, VA if sourced by CT, LA or MoD ** (MAURO PIMENTEL / AFP/Getty Images)
Brazilian fighter Amanda Nunes (R) competes against US fighter Raquel Pennington (L) during their women’s bantamweight title fight at the Ultimate Fighting Championship 224 (UFC 224) event at Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro on May 12, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / MAURO PIMENTELMAURO PIMENTEL/AFP/Getty Images ** OUTS - ELSENT, FPG, CM - OUTS * NM, PH, VA if sourced by CT, LA or MoD ** (MAURO PIMENTEL / AFP/Getty Images)
Brazilian fighter Amanda Nunes (L) competes against US fighter Raquel Pennington (R) during their women’s bantamweight title fight at the Ultimate Fighting Championship 224 (UFC 224) event at Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro on May 12, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / MAURO PIMENTELMAURO PIMENTEL/AFP/Getty Images ** OUTS - ELSENT, FPG, CM - OUTS * NM, PH, VA if sourced by CT, LA or MoD ** (MAURO PIMENTEL / AFP/Getty Images)
Brazilian fighter Amanda Nunes (R) competes against US fighter Raquel Pennington (L) during their women’s bantamweight title fight at the Ultimate Fighting Championship 224 (UFC 224) event at Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro on May 12, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / MAURO PIMENTELMAURO PIMENTEL/AFP/Getty Images ** OUTS - ELSENT, FPG, CM - OUTS * NM, PH, VA if sourced by CT, LA or MoD ** (MAURO PIMENTEL / AFP/Getty Images)