Julianna Pena found herself on many radars after being named the first female Ultimate Fighter. Now, she gets to look forward to her first opponent since earning that honor.
Pena will face off with Jessica Andrade at UFC 171.
The UFC announced the news over Twitter on their official account for The Ultimate Fighter:
TUF 18 winner @VenezuelanVixen will meet @JessicaMMApro at UFC 171 on March 15 http://t.co/BeSa6k8SlG
— The Ultimate Fighter (@UltimateFighter) January 7, 2014
“The Venezuelan Vixen” impressed many with her performances on the 18th season of the UFC’s long-running reality show. After earning herself a spot in the house by taking a unanimous decision victory over Gina Mazany, Pena earned stoppage victories over Shayna Baszler, Sarah Moras and Jessica Rakoczy. During those bouts, she demonstrated particularly powerful hands, a lethal top game and a ferocity that is a genuine rarity in women’s MMA.
Andrade, however, is no slouch.
She entered the UFC with a 9-2 record with all of her wins coming via stoppage. While she had an inauspicious start to her career with the world’s top MMA promotion (she was TKO’d by Liz Carmouche at UFC on Fox 8), she most recently mauled Rosi Sexton at UFC Fight Night 30, battering the British striker for three rounds en route to a lopsided decision win.
This is a particularly exciting fight between two of the most savage fighters in women’s MMA. The two combine for 15 professional wins, with six coming by knockout and eight coming by submission.
UFC 171 goes down on March 15 and is headlined by the welterweight title bout between Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler. It is not yet known whether this fight will be booked on the main card or preliminary card, so stick with Bleacher Report as the date approaches.
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