Julianna Pena’s UFC title win was one of the most monumental upsets in MMA history.
But how she got to be the UFC women’s bantamweight champion late this past year is a journey that truly started nearly nine years ago on “The Ultimate Fighter.”
Peña was a cast member on Season 18 of the reality series and was the first pick of coach Miesha Tate opposite Tate’s arch rival Ronda Rousey, who at the time was the women’s bantamweight champion.
Rousey ultimately lost the title to Holly Holm, who lost it to Tate, who lost it to Amanda Nunes, who went on to become a dual champion when she beat Cris Cyborg to win the women’s featherweight title. And on the strength of that win, Nunes was considered the best fighter in women’s MMA history.
So when Peña submitted her this past December at UFC 269, it was a massive upset. But when Peña tore through “TUF 18” in 2013 with wins over Gina Mazany, Shayna Baszler, Sarah Moras and Jessica Rakoczy to win the tournament, maybe the world should have seen an eventual title for Peña coming some day.
Peña and Nunes will coach “TUF” Season 30 with women’s flyweights and heavyweights with a broadcast run starting May 3 on ESPN+. The two are expected to rematch following the conclusion of the show, though no date has been set for that fight.
In the video above, Peña unpacks her run through the historic 18th season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” which was the first to feature women.
Video: UFC champ Julianna Peña breaks down her historic run on Season 18 of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’