Julianna Peña

Julianna Peña (born September 19, 1988) is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the UFC's women's bantamweight division. Growing up in Spokane, Washington, Peña developed a passion for wrestling and combat sports from a young age, eventually transitioning to mixed martial arts professionally. She built a solid career in various MMA promotions before joining the UFC, where she earned recognition for her technical wrestling, submissions, and fighting intelligence. Peña achieved her breakthrough moment in December 2021 when she defeated the heavily favored Amanda Nunes to claim the UFC women's bantamweight championship in a shocking upset, a victory considered one of the greatest upsets in UFC history. The win demonstrated her ability to overcome adversity and execute under extreme pressure, earning her widespread respect in the combat sports community. Beyond fighting, Peña has become an advocate for women's representation in martial arts and has worked to grow women's participation in wrestling. Her journey from relative obscurity to championship represents the evolving landscape of women's combat sports and her determination to achieve success against formidable odds.