LAS VEGAS – Julianna Pena achieved the unthinkable on Saturday when she submitted Amanda Nunes to claim the women’s bantamweight title in the UFC 269co-main event
Pena (11-4 MMA, 7-2 UFC) landed good shots on Nunes (21-5 MMA, 14-2 UFC) in the second round before securing the takedown, taking the back and finishing the job with a rear-naked choke at the 3:22 mark of Round 2.
“I’m not surprised motherf*ckas,” Pena said in her post-fight interview with Joe Rogan. “I told you.”
UFC 269 took place at T-Mobile Arena. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and early prelims on ESPN+.
After a few seconds of feeling each other out, Nunes swung with the heavy leg kick that put an off-balance Pena on her backside. The challenger stood back up and they swung more, with Nunes landing another big shot that hurt Pena and put her on the ground. Nunes followed up and worked for some submission attempts, but she couldn’t put Pena away inside the opening frame.
The Lioness doing damage early 🦁
[ @Amanda_Leoa | #UFC269 ] pic.twitter.com/xz9FHm5o35
— UFC (@ufc) December 12, 2021
Pena had a few moments in the early stages of the second round. She clipped Nunes with some straight punches down the middle, and the champion obliged her in something of a slugfest. Pena landed a handful of goof shots, but Nunes seemingly took them without issue and fired back. She landed a good punch that swelled Pena’s left cheekbone. Nunes showed some signs of fatigue and was taking some hard jabs.
JULIANNA PENA SHOCKS THE WORLD 🌎 #UFC269 pic.twitter.com/LNr4amWe94
— UFC (@ufc) December 12, 2021
Pena then secured a takedown and finished the job, becoming the eighth fighter in UFC history to win a season of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series and a UFC belt.
The new champ @VenezuelanVixen talks to @JoeRogan after shocking the world 🌎 #UFC269 pic.twitter.com/R3EtnrFGpC
— UFC (@ufc) December 12, 2021
Nunes, for her part, was graceful in defeat.
“I did everything tonight,” Nunes said. “I trained very hard for this fight. … Congrats to Julianna.”
Gracious in defeat, this isn't the last we will see of @Amanda_Leoa 🦁#UFC269 pic.twitter.com/NnRf1WC2zu
— UFC (@ufc) December 12, 2021
Up-to-the-minute results of UFC 269 include:
- Geoff Neal def. Santiago Ponzinibbio via split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)
- Kai Kara-France def. Cody Garbrandt via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:21
- Sean O’Malley def. Raulian Paiva via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 4:42
- Josh Emmett def. Dan Ige via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
- Dominick Cruz def. Pedro Munhoz via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Tai Tuivasa def. Augusto Sakai via knockout (punches) – Round 2, 0:26
- Bruno Silva def. Jordan Wright via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:28
- Andre Muniz def. Eryk Anders via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 3:13
- Erin Blanchfield def. Miranda Maverick via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Ryan Hall def. Darrick Minner via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-27)
- Tony Kelley def. Randy Costa via TKO (elbows) – Round 2, 4:15
- Gillian Robertson def. Priscila Cachoeira via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 4:59
