In a stunning turn of events, Julianna Peña etched her name into the history books by becoming only the second fighter to claim the UFC women’s bantamweight title twice. Her narrow victory over reigning champion Raquel Pennington at UFC 307 will be remembered for years to come.
The highly anticipated co-main event saw Peña emerge victorious via split decision, with two judges scoring the five-round bout 48-47 in her favor and a third judge awarding the same score to Pennington. This thrilling contest marked a milestone in Peña’s career, as she joined the legendary Amanda Nunes as the only two-time champions in the 135-pound division.
As the judges’ verdict was announced, both fighters displayed a mix of emotions. Pennington, who had floored Peña with a powerful right hand in the fourth round, seemed confident in her performance. Meanwhile, Peña, who had struggled to recover from the knockdown, was visibly uncertain about the outcome.
“I wasn’t convinced I had won,” Peña admitted in the post-fight interview. “The judges’ decisions were unpredictable tonight, and I didn’t want to leave it in their hands. Raquel is an incredibly tough opponent.”
The tension was palpable as the fighters awaited the judges’ decision. Peña was seen whispering “Did I win?” to her cornermen, while Pennington exuded confidence. “I genuinely believe I won that fight,” Pennington asserted. “Apart from the first round, where she took me down, I felt I was landing more strikes and doing what I do best.”
Peña’s strategy involved converting two of three takedown attempts, but she failed to capitalize on these opportunities, allowing Pennington to regain her footing. The deciding factor proved to be the first round, which all three judges agreed Peña had won. The remaining rounds were hotly contested, with Pennington winning Rounds 4 and 5.
Earlier in the evening, former PFL champion Kayla Harrison secured a hard-fought decision over Ketlen Vieira. Expectations are high that Harrison will challenge Peña for the title next, following their heated exchange during a news conference earlier in the week. However, Peña had other plans, calling out Amanda Nunes, who retired in 2023. The two fighters are currently tied 1-1 in their head-to-head record.
“I’d love to see Amanda Nunes return to the Octagon,” Peña declared. “We’re 1-1, and a rematch would be the greatest fight of all time. I don’t believe she’s done, and I want to see her back in action.”
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