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Julianna Peña

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Julianna Peña
BornJulianna Peña
(1989-08-19) August 19, 1989 (age 35)
Spokane, Washington
Other namesThe Venezuelan Vixen
NationalityAmerican
Height5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Weight135 lb (61 kg; 9.6 st)
DivisionBantamweight
Reach69.0 in (175 cm)
StyleKickboxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
StanceOrthodox
Fighting out ofSpokane, Washington
TeamSikJitsu
Years active2009-present
Mixed martial arts record
Total8
Wins6
By knockout3
By submission3
Losses2
By knockout1
By decision1
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

Julianna Peña (born August 19, 1989) is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. She is the first woman to win The Ultimate Fighter. As of July 8, 2015, she is #12 in official UFC women's bantamweight rankings.[1] Julianna is the younger sister of former KREM 2 reporter and morning/noon meteorologist Grace Peña.[2]

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

Peña made her professional MMA debut in May 2009. She won four consecutive fights but suffered her first defeat in April 2012 to future fellow The Ultimate Fighter 18 cast member Sarah Moras in a 140-pound catchweight bout.[3] The fight took place just two months and one week after Peña was involved in an accident with a drunk driver while walking in downtown Spokane in which she was knocked unconscious and suffered a broken nose.[4][5] Ten months later she returned to professional competition in a fight in the flyweight division, a move down from the bantamweight division, losing by unanimous decision.

The Ultimate Fighter

In August 2013, it was announced that Peña was one of the fighters selected to be on The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rousey vs. Team Tate.[6]

Peña faced Gina Mazany in the elimination fight to get into the house. She controlled the fight from early on, winning a clear unanimous decision victory after two rounds.[7][8]

During the first tournament fight in the house, Peña faced veteran and top-ten ranked Shayna Baszler. Ronda Rousey selected this match up between the two first female picks. The highly ranked and more experienced Baszler was widely considered the favorite. After a back and forth first round in which Peña landed effective boxing combinations and escaped several of Baszler's submission attempts, Peña came out hard in the second round, connecting with powerful knee strikes that staggered Baszler. The fight went to the ground, where Peña was able to achieve back mount and won via rear naked choke for perhaps the biggest upset victory of the season.[9]

In the semifinals, Peña faced off against Sarah Moras. The two fought previously in a professional bout in 2012, with Peña losing after suffering an injury due to an armbar which forced the doctor to stop the bout between the second and third rounds. Peña won the fight via guillotine choke in the second round to avenge the loss.[10]

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Peña faced Jessica Rakoczy in the finals on November 30, 2013 at The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale. She won the bout via TKO in the final seconds of the first round.[11]

Injury

Peña was expected to face Jessica Andrade at UFC 171 on March 15, 2014.[12] However, Peña pulled out of the bout after suffering an injury to her right knee. She suffered the injury while grappling in training, ultimately damaging, among other aspects, her ACL, MCL, LCL and meniscus. Despite the severity of the injury, doctors have assured Peña that her right knee will return to full strength following surgery and rehabilitation.[13] The injury kept Peña out of action for the rest of 2014.[14]

After a year away from the sport due to her injury, Peña returned to face Milana Dudieva on April 4, 2015 at UFC Fight Night 63 She won the fight via TKO in the first round. The win also earned Peña her first Performance of the Night bonus award.[15]

She is expected to face Jessica Eye on October 3, 2015 at UFC 192.[16]

Film and television

Peña was featured in the award-winning mixed martial arts documentary Fight Life, the film is directed by James Z. Feng and released in 2013.[17]

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts

Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown
8 matches 6 wins 2 losses
By knockout 3 1
By submission 3 0
By decision 0 1
Res. Record Opponent Method Event Date Round Time Location Notes
Win 6–2 Milana Dudieva TKO (punches and elbows) UFC Fight Night: Mendes vs. Lamas April 4, 2015 1 3:59 Fairfax, Virginia, United States Performance of the Night.
Win 5–2 Jessica Rakoczy TKO (punches) The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale November 30, 2013 1 4:59 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Won The Ultimate Fighter 18.
Lose 4–2 DeAnna Bennett Decision (unanimous) Showdown Fights 10 February 8, 2013 3 5:00 Orem, Utah, United States
Lose 4–1 Sarah Moras TKO (doctor stoppage) Conquest of the Cage 11 April 19, 2012 2 5:00 Airway Heights, Washington, United States
Win 4–0 Rachael Swatez Submission (guillotine choke) Conquest of the Cage 10 December 15, 2011 2 0:17 Airway Heights, Washington, United States
Win 3–0 Stephanie Webber Submission (armbar) CageSport 8 December 5, 2009 2 2:54 Tacoma, Washington, United States
Win 2–0 Robyn Dunne TKO (punches) IFC - Caged Combat August 15, 2009 1 N/A Penticton, British Columbia, Canada
Win 1–0 Raylene Harvey Submission (rear-naked choke) EF - ExciteFight May 9, 2009 1 2:58 Spokane, Washington, United States

Championships and awards

Mixed martial arts

  • 2013 Comeback of the Year

See also

References

  1. ^ "Fighter Rankings | UFC ®". Ufc.ca. Retrieved 2015-03-10.
  2. ^ [1][dead link‍]
  3. ^ "Sarah Moras faces Julianna Peña at Conquest of the Cage 11 | Women's MMA Today". Wmmatoday.wordpress.com. 2012-04-17. Retrieved 2015-03-10.
  4. ^ Howard, Cory (2014-02-03). "Suspected Drunk Driver Hits Tree; Tree Falls On Woman In Downtow - Spokane, North Idaho News & Weather". Khq.com. Retrieved 2015-03-10.
  5. ^ [2][dead link‍]
  6. ^ "'Ultimate Fighter' Season 18 cast revealed, including LaRosa, Baszler, Modafferi". mmajunkie.com. 2013-08-15. Retrieved 2013-08-23.
  7. ^ "TUF 18 Elimination Bout: Pena vs. Mazany | UFC &reg - Media". Ufc.com. 2013-09-07. Retrieved 2015-03-10.
  8. ^ Whitman, Mike (2013-09-04). "'TUF 18' Recap: Episode 1". Sherdog.com. Retrieved 2015-03-10.
  9. ^ Steven Rondina (2013-09-11). "TUF 18 Episode Two Results and Recap: Shocking End to Baszler vs. Pena". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 2015-03-10.
  10. ^ "Episode No. 11 recap: 'The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rousey vs. Team Tate'". MMAjunkie. Retrieved 2015-03-10.
  11. ^ Brian Knapp (2013-11-30). "Nate Diaz Flurry Dispatches Gray Maynard in 'The Ultimate Fighter 18' Finale Headliner". sherdog.com. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  12. ^ Matt Erickson (2014-01-06). "Jimy Hettes-Dennis Bermudez, Julianna Pena-Jessica Andrade booked for UFC 171". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 2014-01-07.
  13. ^ Shaun Al-Shatti (2014-01-29). "Julianna Pena out of UFC 171 after suffering devastating knee injury". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2014-01-29.
  14. ^ Kyle Symes (2014-01-30). "Dana White: TUF 18 Winner Julianna Pena out Two Years, Should Leave Gym". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 2015-03-10.
  15. ^ Staff (2015-04-04). "UFC Fight Night 63 bonuses: Four get $50,000 for 'Performance of the Night' efforts". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 2015-04-04.
  16. ^ "Jessica Eye meets 'TUF 18' winner Julianna Pena at UFC 192 in Houston". mmajunkie.com. 2015-08-04.
  17. ^ "FIGHT LIFE - MMA Documentary by James Z. Feng". Fightlife.tv. Retrieved 2015-03-10.

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