Dana White, UFC President, made the announcement that Julianna Peña will not be competing in their highly anticipated bantamweight championship trilogy fight in Vancouver, Canada on June 10th due to an injury. Replacing her will be the talented boxer Irene Aldana who is sure to give Nunes a run for her money.

Julianna Peña emerged victorious in their previous meeting, stunning Nunes with a submission at UFC 269, but Nunes made a triumphant comeback, winning back her title in a dominant five-round performance in their last encounter at UFC 277. Nunes is a force to be reckoned with, having been the bantamweight champion for five consecutive fights.

Nunes currently holds the UFC’s featherweight championship as well. Aldana, on the other hand, was slated for a rematch against Raquel Pennington on May 20th, but with this development, she will have an immediate shot at the championship. Aldana has won four of her last five fights, with a two-fight win streak leading up to the Nunes fight.

Aldana’s last victory in a scheduled 140-pound catchweight match against Macy Chiasson saw her deliver a dazzling upkick to the body knockout. It is noteworthy that her last two contests were not in the 135-pound weight class, the category in which she will be facing Nunes.

Meanwhile, it remains a mystery if Pennington will be given a replacement fighter on May 20th. Back to the UFC 289, it will see former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira face Beneil Dariush in a co-main event that promises to be as thrilling as the main event. This year’s UFC 289 will be hosted at Rogers Arena, Vancouver, Canada.