UFC-Auckland Q&A notebook: Pena vs. Nunes, Pedro vs. Latifi, Stann vs. anyone

AUCKLAND, New Zealand – The UFC doesn’t visit New Zealand very often. After all, this weekend’s UFC Fight Night 110 event marks just the second trip the company has made to the island nation, and the first was three years ago.

So when Kiwi UFC fans get a chance to see their favorite fighters up close, they make the most of it, as proven at this weekend’s traditional fan Q&A session.

UFC Fight Night 110 takes place Sunday (but airs live in the U.S. on Saturday due to time difference) at Spark Arena in Auckland, New Zealand. It airs on FS1 following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass.

One day prior, “The Ultimate Fighter 18” winner Julianna Pena, Australian light heavyweight prospect Tyson Pedro, and former UFC fighter and current commentator Brian Stann stepped on stage and answered everything thrown their way. We’ve featured some of the best moments.

The Q&A started out on a serious note, with the session’s very first question asking whether or not the fighters, including Stann, believed they deserved a bigger piece of the UFC pie, including revenues from broadcasting contracts, as well as sponsors like Reebok.

Later, the fighters were asked about their next potential fight, and Pedro teased a few intriguing matchups that he’d heard might very well be possible. Meanwhile, Pena didn’t say she had anything lined up but admitted she would have a watchful eye on the UFC 213 headliner between UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes and challenger Valentina Shevchenko.

Pena also wasn’t afraid to reveal her gameplan for defeating Nunes, who “The Ultimate Fighter 18” winner does find beatable.

Meanwhile, fans also wanted to know if Stann might be willing to step back inside the octagon. After all, if fellow UFC commentator Dan Hardy has expressed his desire for one more go, could “The All-American” find himself in a similar position.

Of course, any gathering of MMA fighters that includes questions and answers wouldn’t be complete without addressing the fantasy matchup between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor, and today was no different. One answer may surprise – and definitely got a few laughs.

Things took a turn toward the more bizarre as things wore on, and some of the questions got a little less relevant. But one New Zealander heard Pena admit she had been a little cold thus far in her time in Auckland. After all, it is winter in the Southern Hemisphere. That was all the opportunity this fan needed to drop a little pickup line.

Finally, all three athletes were asked to share a story about their very first fight – not the first time they stepped into the cage, but the first time they had to hold their hands up and look to defend themselves. The answers got pretty interesting, and it turns out one of the fighters knows a little more about “Fight Club” than you do.

For more on UFC Fight Night 110, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.