In the minds of most observers, Julianna Pena entered December’s UFC 269 as an afterthought.
That wasn’t meant to be a declaration of Peña’s skills, but was rather a reflection of how highly regarded then-UFC double champ Amanda Nunes was – and still is – in the MMA community.
Of the 13 selections made in the MMA Junkie staff picks, all 13 sided with Nunes. MMA Junkie readers voted Nunes an overwhelming favorite, as well, with 87 percent of the votes leaning in her direction.
Tipico, the exclusive sports betting and iGaming provider for USA TODAY Sports and MMA Junkie, had Nunes listed as an astounding -1100 favorite, meaning you would have to risk $1,100 to earn a profit of just $100 for a win by “The Lioness,” implying a 92 percent chance of of victory.
In short, there weren’t many outside of Peña’s inner circle who predicted she’d walk away from the contest as UFC women’s bantamweight champion. But that’s exactly what happened.
Peña (11-4 MMA, 7-2 UFC) was forced to weather some early adversity, swept to the floor from a stinging low kick and dropped with a jab shortly after. “The Venezuelan Vixen” showed resiliency, battling back to her feet but was returned to the canvas shortly after, with Nunes seemingly just outmuscling her on the floor. Nunes was so confident in her domination that she took a brief moment to look up and smile for the cameras.
Peña, though, refused to go away, actually attacking Nunes’ left arm in the waning seconds of the frame.
The second round played out on the feet, with Peña showing no fear as she stood toe-to-toe with the woman widely regarded as the greatest of all time. It seemed a rather risky strategy, as Cris Cyborg infamously discovered in 2018. However, for Peña, the risk provided a rather incredible reward, with Nunes visibly fading in the exchanges. As the round wore on, Peña was able to take the fight to the floor, move immediately to the back and lock in a fight-ending rear-naked choke.
A victorious Peña returned to her feet after the win, seemingly in as much shock as the sold-out T-Mobile Arena crowd in Las Vegas, eventually turning to the broadcast team and repeating three words: “I told you. I told you.”
For as much doubt as existed leading into the fight, which veteran commentator Joe Rogan called “the biggest upset in the history of the sport,” Peña never once wavered from what she considered her destiny. From “The Ultimate Fighter 18” winner to UFC champion, it was a journey Peña believed she was always supposed to complete.
A complete knee reconstruction, damaging nearly every moving part in the joint? A two-and-a-half year hiatus from competition to focus on motherhood? A four-month delay once she was granted the title shot after Nunes tested positive for COVID-19?
None of those hurdles once brought any doubt in Peña’s mind, and she delivered in scintillating fashion in one of the most memorable clashes in the history of women’s MMA.
It wasn’t Peña’s only victory of the year. She also submitted former Olympic wrestling silver medalist and UFC title challenger Sara McMann in January, also by rear-naked choke. But it was the Nunes victory that will forever be etched in the UFC history books, as well as the minds of anyone who witnessed the moment. For that reason, she is MMA Junkie’s 2021 Female Fighter of the Year.
Honorable mention: Kayla Harrison
Two-time Olympic gold medalist and now two-time PFL women’s lightweight champion Kayla Harrison continues to establish herself as a dominant force in women’s MMA.
In 2021, Harrison (12-0) stepped into the cage four times and proved victorious in all four contests, with two victories by submission and two by TKO. Just one of those bouts made it out of the first round: the 2021 PFL championship bout with Taylor Guardado, which Harrison ended in the second.
If there’s any question as to Harrison’s skills, it may simply be because she’s faced a level of competition that doesn’t seem to quite stand up to her own talent. Of course, given her athletic prowess, there’s no guarantee that a move to the UFC or Bellator would provide any stiffer tests. Harrison just may be that good.
It seems Harrison may be destined for a move down to 145 pounds in 2022, where she could potentially face the likes of reigning UFC champ Amanda Nunes, her American Top Team stablemate, or reigning Bellator champ Cris Cyborg, who is widely regarded as the best featherweight in women’s MMA history. Should she be able to take down one of those superstars, Harrison may prove a challenger for this honor again next year.