5 things Amanda Nunes has to do differently to beat Julianna Pena in their rematch

#2. Pacing herself

While Amanda Nunes' conditioning was not what it usually is in their initial bout, she didn't help matters by chasing the finish as aggressively as she did.

Nunes seemed to fight with the intention of knocking Pena out as early as the first round. This prevented her from pacing herself and approaching the fight in a way wherein she could reliably win rounds on the scorecards.

Pena herself has never been knocked out. Her only TKO loss came from a doctor's stoppage in her pre-UFC career against Sarah Moraes.

'The Venezuelan Vixen' is notoriously difficult to knock out and Nunes would fare better if she doesn't chase a finish in their upcoming matchup. It'll help preserve her gas tank and enable her to pick Pena apart at range.

The finish she was searching for in their first clash will reveal itself if she fights in a more calculated manner.

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#1. Nunes must respect Pena

In the lead-up to their UFC 269 bout, Amanda Nunes showed little respect for Pena as an opponent, going so far as to answer Pena's accusations of ducking her by describing her as a fighter who couldn't even make herself a contender to earn a title shot.

By the time the two women stepped into the octagon, Nunes seemed to expect Pena to simply fold before her power, as many of her past foes have.

However, Pena exhibited grit and heart, marching forward with a steely determination. In their rematch, Amanda Nunes will improve her chances of winning by acknowledging Pena as a worthy opponent who must be taken seriously, otherwise she risks losing to her again.

Not taking an opponent seriously often leads to more relaxed training, which causes fighters to be underprepared as they never acknowledge the threats their opponents bring into fights.