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Julianna Peña is a professional MMA fighter and one of the world’s best. She’s won numerous awards and accolades, including UFC’s Women Bantamweight Champion. Peña is the first woman to ever The Ultimate Fighter, an honor she doesn’t take lightly.
“To be that first ever female to win that tournament is an honor and something that I hold in high regard because it’s going to go down forever in UFC history... I would’ve been absolutely heartbroken if anyone got that title besides me. I wasn’t going to let anyone else be the “first ever.” I had to fight for it.”
Peña was born Spokane, Washington and is of Venezuelan and Mexican heritage. Known as the Venezuelan Vixen, Peña has an aggressive fighting style, one that started from a young age and led to her professional career, which she began in the year 2009.
The athlete has battled some of the best women in the sport and has a brave attitude that has cemented her place as one of the best and most entertaining fighters in the world. “At the end of the day, Amanda and I are the best fighters in the world. You’ll be watching two of the best fighters in the world clash on Saturday. I can’t say I will do a magic trick, but I can say that I will face one of the best athletes in the world and I will give it my all,” she said before taking on one of the biggest fights of her career.
While she lost her most recent fight against rival and the number #1 ranked fighter in the world, Peña’s positive attitude and fighting spirit make her one of the most inspiring athletes in the world.
“Tougher than a two dollar steak. Thanks for the love everyone! Just a cat scratch that required a few stitches, no chunks missing, no surgery necessary. Love you all!” she wrote after her loss.