UFC champion hits back at ESPN analyst’s comments to shut down women’s 135-pound division over allegedly lackluster title fight

A UFC champion recently sounded off after an ESPN analyst suggested that the promotion shut down the women's bantamweight division over a lackluster title fight.

Newly crowned women's bantamweight champion Raquel Pennington clapped back at ESPN's Ryan Clark after he criticized the quality of her title fight against Mayra Bueno Silva. During her appearance on Unlocking The Cage, she took offense to the former Super Bowl winner's comments and mentioned that he shouldn't be critical because he doesn't know what it's like to fight in the octagon. She said:

"I'm not here for [people's] expectations and to live up to that. I'm here for me, and conquering goals, and achieving things for myself...People could criticize but it's a lot of people who wouldn't even step into our shoes for ten seconds. They have no clue what it's like. For everybody else who just wants to talk, keep sitting on your couch and talking and criticizing, because again, you're not living in our shoes."

Pennington's co-main event against Bueno Silva was heavily criticized by fans on social media, so it will be interesting to see whether her next reported bout against Julianna Pena will be more exciting.

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What did Ryan Clark say about the UFC women's bantamweight division?

Ryan Clark was among those who were critical of the vacant women's bantamweight championship bout between Raquel Pennington and Mayra Bueno Silva at UFC 297.

During an episode of ESPN's DC & RC, which recapped the event, the former Super Bowl winner sounded off on the quality of the title fight and suggested that the promotion get rid of the division entirely. He said:

"It [UFC 297 co-main event] seemed like two people who knew good and dang well it's no way they should be fighting for a championship. And if that is what's going to be the highest level of the bantamweight division for the UFC, there should be a serious discussion of getting rid of it."