Miesha Tate compares Julianna Pena’s striking to that of Dricus Du Plessis: “Julianna’s striking is extremely underrated”

Former UFC champion Miesha Tate has compared Julianna Pena’s striking to that of UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis.

This weekend, Julianna Pena has the opportunity to reclaim UFC gold. She’ll be challenging Raquel Pennington for the UFC women’s bantamweight championship in the co-main event of UFC 307. In the eyes of many, despite being the challenger, she’s seen as the favorite to walk away with the belt.

RELATED: Julianna Pena explains why Raquel Pennington “has not been a good representation of the women’s bantamweight division” ahead of UFC 307

Of course, Pennington didn’t work this hard to become champion just to give it up so easily. So, hopefully, we’ll get a contest that far exceeds our expectations on Saturday night.

Miesha Tate, who coached both women on The Ultimate Fighter, has given her thoughts on what is perceived to be Pena’s weakest area – her striking.

Tate defends Pena’s striking

“I think Julianna’s striking is extremely underrated,” Tate told MMA Junkie Radio. “I think her striking is actually very effective – people just don’t understand it. It’s kind of like (Dricus Du Plessis). I think a lot of people look at him, and they don’t really respect his striking, either. I draw some similarities in their striking.

“(Julianna), when she hits you, it’s not a snapping punch. It’s like a joust. You’ve seen those guys that run at each other on horses (with) the jousting sticks? People don’t realize how hard she hits until they get hit by (her). We saw that happen when she took out Amanda (Nunes). Her boxing might not be traditional, but that’s also a benefit.”

Quotes via MMA Junkie

Do you believe that mixed martial arts fans are overlooking Julianna Pena’s striking ability? How do you expect this co-main event to go down? Let us know your thoughts, BJPENN Nation!