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NASHVILLE – The 6-foot-3 Luis Pena doesn’t care if you raise an eyebrow or not; “Violent Bob Ross” is going to stay at 145 pounds.

Despite missing weight at Friday’s UFC on ESPN+ 6 official weigh-ins by registering 148.5 pounds, Pena said he spoke with UFC officials, including matchmaker Sean Shelby, and they will allow him to continue in the featherweight division.

“I actually spoke to Sean Shelby almost immediately after everything happened (at weigh-ins),” Pena told reporters, including MMA Junkie, following his win at Saturday’s fight card, which took place at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. “We had a good conversation. He said he knows that things happen. He knows the circumstances that happened, and he’s going to give me another chance.

“Sean’s a great guy, and it seems that they’ve put some stock in me, and that means a lot to me, so I want to just go ahead and prove them right.”

Pena took to social media on Friday to apologize for his gaffe, saying that “things happened outside of my control that I shouldn’t have worried about.”

After his hard-fought decision win over Steven Peterson (17-8 MMA, 1-2 UFC), though, Pena (6-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) declined to elaborate further.

“I could, but I don’t really want to get into it because I don’t want to make any excuses,” Pena said. “I missed weight. That is what it is. That’s on me. It’s my responsibility, and I take full responsibility for it.”

Pena’s victory didn’t come easy. Facing a scrappy Peterson, Pena was forced to work for advantages throughout the 15-minute clash. The 25-year-old admits the physical complications of his weight cut didn’t do him any favors.

“I can’t lie, I think it did affect me,” Pena said. “I felt a little bit more fatigued than I normally ever have in a fight after the first round. But one of the biggest things I focus on is mental toughness. I willed myself through it.”

In the end, Pena got the win he was seeking, even if he did have to surrender 30 percent in the process. Criticism is sure to follow into his next outing, but Pena said he’s not concerned with any of that. Instead, he’s simply anxious to get back in the gym and continue his growth as a fighter, and the UFC can match him up with anyone they see fit.

“There’s no one I’m looking at,” Pena said. “I’m more focused on bettering myself and going back to AKA, reevaluating things and just getting better. I’m not looking at names. I’m not looking to go after anybody. I just want to go home get better and reevaluate myself for the next fight.”

To hear more from Pena, check out the video above.

And for complete coverage of UFC on ESPN+ 6, check out the UFC Events section of the site.