Julianna Peña Bio
Julianna Peña, born on August 19, 1989, in Spokane, Washington, is an American professional mixed martial artist who competes in the women’s Bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Fighting out of Chicago, Illinois, she is recognized as the first woman to win The Ultimate Fighter and has held the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship twice. Known by the ring name “The Venezuelan Vixen,” she has been a prominent figure in the sport since turning professional in 2009.
Early Life and Background
Julianna Peña is the youngest of four siblings and was born and raised in Spokane, Washington, where her family settled after her parents emigrated from Mexico and Venezuela. She graduated from Mt. Spokane High School in 2007 before attending Spokane Community College. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest shaped her early years, and she later channeled her energy into athletics as a way to manage her weight and aggression in young adulthood.
After enrolling in a cardio kickboxing class to stay active, Peña quickly discovered mixed martial arts and committed to training in the sport. Her early introduction to striking and grappling laid the foundation for the well-rounded skill set that would later define her professional career.
Path to MMA
Peña compiled a 2–0 record as an amateur before making her professional MMA debut in May 2009. She won four consecutive fights to open her pro career before suffering her first defeat in April 2012 against Sarah Moras in a 140-pound catchweight bout. The loss came just over two months after Peña was struck by a drunk driver while walking in downtown Spokane, an incident that left her with a broken nose and a brief period of unconsciousness.
Ten months later, she returned to competition in the flyweight division, dropping down from bantamweight, and lost by unanimous decision. Those early setbacks tested her resolve, but they also set the stage for her selection to The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rousey vs. Team Tate in August 2013, which became her entry point to the UFC.
Julianna Peña Career
Early Career (2009–2013)
During her early professional years, Peña trained with the SikJitsu fight team in Spokane and built her record on the regional circuit. Her combination of boxing and Brazilian jiu-jitsu earned her a reputation as a dangerous finisher, and she held a purple belt in jiu-jitsu. She finished her pre-UFC career with several submission and knockout victories that caught the attention of UFC matchmakers.
The Ultimate Fighter and UFC Breakthrough (2013–2017)
Selected for The Ultimate Fighter 18, Peña entered the TUF house by defeating Gina Mazany via unanimous decision in the elimination round. In the first tournament fight, she pulled off one of the season’s biggest upsets by submitting highly ranked veteran Shayna Baszler via rear-naked choke in the second round. She followed that win by avenging her earlier loss to Sarah Moras with a second-round guillotine choke in the semifinals, then captured the TUF 18 women’s bantamweight crown with a late-first-round TKO of Jessica Rakoczy at The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale on November 30, 2013.
After a knee injury kept her out through 2014, Peña returned at UFC Fight Night 63 in April 2015 and earned her first Performance of the Night bonus with a first-round TKO of Milana Dudieva. She added a unanimous decision win over Jessica Eye at UFC 192 and outpointed former title challenger Cat Zingano at UFC 200 in July 2016. Her four-fight UFC winning streak was snapped in January 2017 when she was submitted by Valentina Shevchenko at UFC on Fox 23.
Hiatus and Return (2017–2020)
Following the Shevchenko loss, Peña announced in October 2017 that she was pregnant and would take an indefinite hiatus from competition. She gave birth to her first child, a daughter, in January 2018. After nearly two and a half years away, Peña returned at UFC Fight Night 155 in July 2019 and won a unanimous decision over Nicco Montaño, replacing an injured Sara McMann. Her momentum was interrupted by an injury withdrawal in early 2020 and a third-round submission loss to Germaine de Randamie at UFC on ESPN: Holm vs. Aldana in October 2020.
Title Runs and Championship Era (2021–2025)
Peña opened 2021 with a third-round submission win over Sara McMann at UFC 257, which set up a title shot against longtime champion Amanda Nunes. The pair were first booked for UFC 265 in August 2021, but Nunes tested positive for COVID-19 and the bout was pushed to UFC 269 on December 11, 2021. In one of the biggest upsets in UFC history, Peña dropped the first round but rallied to win the championship by rear-naked choke submission in round two.
She lost the title to Nunes by unanimous decision in their rematch at UFC 277 on July 30, 2022, and a planned trilogy bout at UFC 289 in June 2023 was scrapped after Peña broke her ribs in training. On October 5, 2024, at UFC 307, Peña reclaimed the bantamweight crown with a split decision over Raquel Pennington. Her second title reign ended at UFC 316 on June 7, 2025, when she was submitted by Kayla Harrison via kimura in the closing seconds of round two.
Fighting Style and Strengths
Peña is an orthodox fighter known for her aggressive boxing, strong top pressure, and submission threat off her back. Her purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu has produced notable finishes via rear-naked choke and guillotine, while her cardio and forward pressure allow her to push a strong pace deep into fights. She pairs well with the SikJitsu coaching staff in her preparation.
Notable Events and Milestones
Her second-round submission of Amanda Nunes at UFC 269 stands as the signature win of her career and is widely regarded as one of the greatest upsets in UFC history. Other milestones include becoming the first woman to win The Ultimate Fighter, earning a Performance of the Night bonus, and twice capturing the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship.
Julianna Peña Career Wins
Across her professional career, Julianna Peña has compiled 12 wins against 6 losses in 18 total bouts. Her finishes include 1 knockout, 3 submissions, and 2 decisions, with the balance of her wins coming inside the distance. She has been a consistent presence in the women’s bantamweight division since joining the UFC roster in 2013.
UFC Highlights
Peña’s UFC victories include finishes of Jessica Rakoczy, Milana Dudieva, Sara McMann, and Amanda Nunes, alongside decision wins over Jessica Eye, Cat Zingano, Nicco Montaño, and Raquel Pennington. Her first UFC finish came at The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale, and her most recent win came when she reclaimed the bantamweight title at UFC 307 in October 2024.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside the UFC, Peña went 4–0 to begin her professional career and captured the TUF 18 women’s bantamweight crown. She also appeared in the 2012 MMA documentary Fight Life, directed by James Z. Feng, and served as a commentator for Combate Americas broadcasts on DAZN.
Julianna Peña Family
Family Background and Lineage
Julianna Peña is of Mexican and Venezuelan descent, the heritage that inspired her ring name “The Venezuelan Vixen.” She is the younger sister of former KREM 2 reporter and meteorologist Grace Peña. Julianna remains closely tied to her family roots in the Pacific Northwest.
Personal Life
Peña gave birth to her first child, a daughter, in January 2018. She has been based in Chicago, Illinois, in recent years, where she continues to train and compete at the highest level of mixed martial arts.
2025 Season Performance
Julianna Peña’s 2025 campaign was defined by her return to championship form and a high-profile title defense. After reclaiming the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship with a split decision win over Raquel Pennington at UFC 307 in October 2024, she entered 2025 ranked among the top contenders in the division. Her reign, however, ended in dramatic fashion at UFC 316 on June 7, 2025, when she was submitted by two-time Olympic judo gold medalist Kayla Harrison via kimura in the final seconds of round two.
Heading into the bout, Peña was ranked No. 1 in the UFC women’s bantamweight rankings, a position that underscored her status as a measuring stick for an entire generation of 135-pound fighters. The loss to Harrison dropped her to No. 1 in the bantamweight rankings while placing her at No. 8 in the women’s pound-for-pound rankings as of late 2025.
Looking beyond the Harrison defeat, Peña has lined up new opportunities outside the cage. She is scheduled to debut as a commentator for Real American Freestyle (RAF) at RAF 02 on October 25, 2025, expanding her profile within the combat sports world. With her competitive prime still intact, Peña remains a central figure in the bantamweight division and a future title shot cannot be ruled out.