Page 31 - bon-dia-aruba-20211213

A31
sports Dialuna 13 December 2021

Julianna Peña stops Nunes, claims belt in UFC 269 shocker

(AP) — Julianna Peña and reigned simultaneously “You heard her for months
didn’t even realize Aman- atop the 135-pound bantam- leading up to this fight, and
da Nunes had tapped out weight and 145-pound feath- she did it. It’s one of the
of Peña’s chokehold until erweight divisions for three things that makes this sport
somebody told her in the years. so incredible. An upset like
cage moments after the this, where you can’t believe
referee pulled her off the “Amanda has been such a it, it happens all the time
long-reigning champion. great champion, and she’s here.”
done a ton for the sport,”
One of the biggest upsets Peña said. “For me to be Nunes was fighting for only
in UFC history might have able to take out arguably the the third time in two years af-
been a surprise in the mo- greatest of all time is some- ter making two featherweight
ment for Peña, but she had thing that’s still sinking in defenses since her most re-
never stopped believing she right now.” cent defense of her bantam-
could do the nearly impos- weight belt in December
sible. After Nunes largely domi- 2019. Few opponents had
nated the first round with even given her a stiff chal-
“Everybody was sleeping on two knockdowns and supe- lenge since her second vic-
me, and I shook up the world rior striking, Peña shockingly tory over current flyweight
and did exactly what I said I hurt Nunes with punches in champ Valentina Shevchenko lot,” Oliveira said through a Oliveira and White both said
was going to do,” Peña said. a slugfest start to the second by split decision in 2017. translator. “But I was going the champ’s next defense is
“But I’m not surprised. I round. Peña then got Nunes to have my arm raised, and likely to be against Justin Ga-
have a big heart and determi- to the ground, got her back Nunes is almost certain to that’s what happened. ... I ethje, the entertaining brawl-
nation.” and forced the champion to be granted a rematch with want to make history. I want er who held the interim title
tap out with a choke around Peña, who is eager to grant it: to leave a legacy, and I plan to in 2020.
Peña stopped Nunes by sub- her neck with 1:38 left. “We can do it next week. I’m show people that I can.”
mission with a rear naked free next week. I’m free next Poirier already had a spec-
choke in the second round at “It feels crazy,” Peña said. “I month.” Oliveira finally claimed the tacular 2021 with his two vic-
UFC 269 on Saturday night, definitely expected to win, belt last May in his 28th tories over Conor McGregor,
claiming the bantamweight but the world is my oyster.” After Peña’s upset, Oliveira UFC fight -- the longest wait erasing the vaunted former
title from the long-reigning (32-8, 1 no-contest) survived for a title in the promotion’s champion’s winning mys-
two-division champion in a Peña had won just two of her a rough fight with Poirier history and the culmination tique and making two enor-
10-to-1 upset. four fights over the past 5 1/2 (28-7, 1 no-contest) to im- of an epic journey by a Bra- mous paychecks for decisive
years, and the Spokane native prove to 10-0 with nine stop- zilian veteran who overcame stoppage wins. Poirier’s only
Charles Oliveira also defend- who trains in Chicago got the page victories since 2017. poverty and childhood illness other loss in his last 11 fights
ed his lightweight title for the title shot as one of the few to become an elite jiu-jitsu since 2016 was to Khabib
first time with a third-round legitimate 135-pound fight- Poirier battered the champ practitioner and mixed mar- Nurmagomedov, who took
stoppage victory over Dustin ers that Nunes hadn’t already with punches in the first tial artist. away Poirier’s interim light-
Poirier by standing rear na- beaten. Peña didn’t fight for round and knocked him weight title before retiring
ked choke in the main event. 30 months from 2017 to down twice, but Oliveira Oliveira set the UFC record undefeated.
2019 while giving birth to her took control on the ground for stoppage victories by
But the night belonged to daughter, but she won two of in the second round with a beating Michael Chandler “It ruins the dream outcome
Peña (11-4), who was a her three ensuing bouts to series of vicious elbows. He with punches, and his finish that I had planned, to forever
massive underdog against get this shot. finished the fight with 3:58 of Poirier increased the re- be a world champion after
a vaunted opponent wide- left in the third by attach- cord to 18. Oliveira’s 10-fight tonight,” Poirier said. “But
ly considered the great- “Julianna is a person who al- ing himself to Poirier’s back winning streak is the second- the year isn’t ruined. An op-
est fighter in the history of ways believed in herself and and forcing him to tap while longest active string in the portunity I had is ruined, and
women’s mixed martial arts. believed that she could win standing up. UFC, trailing only Kamaru that’s all right. It is what it is.
Nunes had won 12 con- this fight if she got it,” UFC Usman’s 15 straight. I’ll look in the mirror like a
secutive fights since 2014 President Dana White said. “We respect each other a man.”

Brignone wins World Cup super-G after Gut-Behrami crashes

(AP) — Federica Brignone than her Italian teammate Mikaela Shiffrin extended The Swiss star went too fast However, the wind condi-
won a wind-swept World Elena Curtoni down a fast her lead in the overall stand- on a direct line approaching a tions and blue skies proved
Cup super-G Sunday that course shortened to less than ings by placing third despite sharp left-hand turn she was favorable to lower-ranked
saw pre-race favorite Lara one minute. The start was wearing the No. 2 bib. The unlikely to make. She was starters.
Gut-Behrami crash out brought lower down the ex- early start gave her little idea unbalanced by the terrain
through the safety fences. posed Corviglia hill by strong how gusty winds would af- and went sideways standing Starting No. 26, Alice Rob-
crosswinds higher up. fect racing in the bright sun- upright into and through the inson of New Zealand took
Brignone was 0.11 faster shine after a 50-minute delay. safety fences. fourth place and No. 31 Ra-
mona Siebenhofer of Austria
“I was a little bit nervous run- Gut-Behrami sat still on the was fifth.
ning (No.) 2 already,” Shif- snow awaiting attention and
frin told Swiss broadcaster was later filmed in the fin- Those unexpected results
RTS. “Sometimes you get ish area limping to congratu- pushed Sofia Goggia, who
this push from the wind from late Brignone in the leader’s was runner-up Saturday,
behind and then it’s a little chair. down to sixth trailing Brig-
hard to handle that speed.” none by 0.75. She lost most
A banner day for the Italian of that time being cautious
It proved tough even for No. team seemed likely when it through the fast section that
7 starter Gut-Behrami, the held five of the first six places took out Gut-Behrami.
world champion in super-G after the top-20 elite group
who had won Saturday when had started. Curtoni had also Goggia now leads the sea-
cloud cover made the rolling clocked the fastest speed of son-long super-G stand-
terrain tough to see. 99.3 kph (61.7 mph). ings, breaking the tie she had
shared with Gut-Behrami.