Why has the Amanda Nunes vs. Julianna Pena title fight scheduled for UFC 265 been called off?

Amanda Nunes' title clash against Julianna Pena has been canceled. The 'Lioness' tested positive for COVID-19 with little over a week left before the scheduled fight, UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell told ESPN's Mike Coppinger.

Nunes was set to defend her bantamweight title for the sixth time at UFC 265, which is scheduled to take place on August 7.

Campbell also added that the UFC will reschedule the bout for when Nunes recovers from the virus and is healthy enough to compete inside the octagon.

Amanda Nunes tested positive for COVID, canceling her fight against Julianna Peña that was scheduled for #UFC265, UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell told @MikeCoppinger.Campbell said the plan is to reschedule the bout when Nunes is fully healthy and ready to compete. pic.twitter.com/CMrSSJk8Ds

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) July 29, 2021

Nunes' last UFC fight was against Megan Anderson at UFC 259. She submitted her Australian opponent in the first round, successfully defending her featherweight belt for the second consecutive time.

Prior to that, Amanda Nunes fought Felicia Spencer at UFC 250 in June 2020. Although Spencer was able to go the distance with the two-division champ, she couldn't convince the judges to score the fight in her favor as Nunes won the bout via unanimous decision (50–44, 50–44, 50–45).

Nunes' last bantamweight fight was opposite Germaine de Randamie in December 2019.

Meanwhile, Pena last competed at UFC 257 in January earlier this year. She defeated Sara McMann via submission and returned to the win column following her previous defeat to de Randamie.

Julianna Pena claimed Amanda Nunes refused to fight her twice before their fight was finally scheduled for UFC 265

According to Julianna Pena, Amanda Nunes declined to fight her twice before the UFC finally sealed the deal for UFC 265.

Pena stated that she has been in the promotion for the same duration as Nunes and has also fought as many times as her in the bantamweight division.

"There’s been so many times that she’s agreed to fight me, and then not ended up fighting me, that the only way to get the fight was to remind people that I’m 9-2 in the UFC, I have one more loss on my record than she does, I’ve been in the division just as long as she has, and I have fought just as many times," Pena told KREM.

After Amanda Nunes' win over Megan Anderson, Pena repeatedly called out the 'Lioness' and pleaded with the UFC to give her a title shot.

The 31-year-old has amassed a 10-4 record in her professional MMA career. She is currently ranked No. 5 in the women's bantamweight division.