Tag: Julianna Pena

Top 10 MMA Bad Girls

You’ve seen MMA’s bad boys – check out the sport’s bad girls:

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In the sport of MMA there are plenty of fighters who fall under the banner of being ‘bad boys,’ but let’s not forget that there are ‘bad girls’ out there too.

In this article, we’ll take a look at 10 of today’s most notorious fighters in WMMA, from the outspoken trash-talkers and troublemakers through to the steroid cheats and the former ‘wild childs’ trying to put their murky past behind them.

Carina Damm

Nearly 14 years into her MMA career, Carina Damm, sister of former UFC fighter Rodrigo Damm, is a true veteran of the sport, having fought for the likes of Strikeforce, Jungle Fights and most recently Titan FC.

However, the 39-year-old ‘Beauty But The Beast’ also holds the dubious distinction of being the first-ever female MMA fighter to test positive for steroids.

Damm popped for the banned anabolic steroid nandrolone back in 2008 after her first fight in the United States at FFF4, where she had defeated her opponent via a second-round armbar submission.

She was subsequently banned for a year, though Damm continued to fight back home in Brazil in the mean time.

However, Damm would again run into trouble when she was caught attempting to submit a fake urine sample following a loss to Jessica Eye at NFAAS 9 in 2013, which was quickly spotted due to the fact it was reportedly ‘clear’ and ‘cold’.

Damm was subsequently suspended for 6 months, leaving her reputation further tarnished.

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Where Are They Now? The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) Winners

Find out where your favorite The Ultimate Fighter winners are now:

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With the UFC having now secured a new broadcasting deal with ESPN from 2019 onwards, Dana White recently admitted that ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ show may finally be on its way out after a 27season series run.

As such, now seems like a good time to take a look back at what has become of every single one of the long-running show’s 35 ‘Ultimate Fighter’ winners to date.

Find out what your favorite past winners of TUF are up to now:

SEASON 1

Diego Sanchez

It’s a testament to Diego Sanchez’s durability that 13 years after winning TUF season 1 he remains the only fighter from that historic series to still be actively competing in the UFC, having amassed 27 fights (16-11) to date.

However, after suffering back-to-back first-round knockouts in his last two fights, it’s possible that the 36-year-old’s memorable career is now entering its final stages, though Sanchez has assured his fans that, “I’m not done yet.”


Forrest Griffin

Arguably TUF’s most iconic winner, Griffin’s fight with Stephan Bonner in the Season 1 finale was declared as the most important fight in UFC history by Dana White, while he’d also go on to win the light-heavyweight title too.

Griffin retired in 2013 at the age of 33 due to chronic injuries, but he’s since been inducted into the UFC’s Hall of Fame and now works for the UFC as their Vice President of Athletic Development.

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Julianna Pena Shifts Attention To New UFC Women’s Division

If a women’s UFC flyweight title is on the way, Julianna Pena wants in on the action. The UFC recently admitted the possibility of crowning an inaugural women’s 125-pound champ through The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), similar to what they did with the strawweight crown. That would take place on TUF 25 which is set to […]

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If a women’s UFC flyweight title is on the way, Julianna Pena wants in on the action.

The UFC recently admitted the possibility of crowning an inaugural women’s 125-pound champ through The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), similar to what they did with the strawweight crown. That would take place on TUF 25 which is set to begin filming in July.

Pena knows what it’s like to compete on the show seeing as she won TUF 18 nearly four years ago, and recently stated on an episode of “TUF Talk” that she’d love to return to the Ultimate Fighter house in attempt to win the women’s flyweight title (quotes via FOX Sports):

“I was asking Dana [White] if I could get back in the house and have a crack at that belt finally,” Pena said. “I fought at [125 pounds] a couple of times in my career so it’s not hard for me to make the weight. I walk naturally around 135 [pounds], a couple pounds heavier, so making 125 is not a problem for me.

“I think I would steamroll all the girls at 125 pounds but then again I’ve kind of got that big head thing going on.”

Pena claims she cuts very little to make 135 pounds and a move to flyweight would mean she’s finally taking on fighters relatively closer to her own size:

“I think the biggest change would be for me is to probably cut the weight is the biggest problem, but I don’t honestly don’t think it is a problem. Because during fight week at 135, I’m literally 137, if that not even, and I’m walking in there with not even cutting a pound so I really don’t think the weight would be an issue for me,” Pena explained.

“I think I’m a more natural 125’er. At 135, I feel like that’s my more normal walking weight so it makes sense for me that they finally — the MMA gods have been listening — and made a 125-pound division.”

If the opportunity to become the first ever female 125-pound champ hangs in the balance, Pena is just fine staying at the Ultimate Fighter house for six weeks again:

“I would love the opportunity to go back into “The Ultimate Fighter” house,” Pena said. “There’s never a moment where you get to eat the best food in the world, you can live in a mansion and not pay rent, you don’t have any of your bills, no drama from the outside and you really get to focus on yourself as a fighter for the first time without any outside focuses or any outside stimulation from the other people you have to deal with. It’s all about you, two times a day, eating the best food and getting the best training that you can possible get. So it was a great experience for me.”

Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

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Julianna Pena: ‘I Think I Would Steamroll All The Girls at 125 Pounds’

Perhaps a weight change is in the cards for Julianna Pena. Pena is currently the second ranked Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) women’s bantamweight. Not including her fights on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) show, Pena is 4-1 under the UFC banner. She was submitted by Valentina Shevchenko in a title eliminator back in January. Earlier this […]

Perhaps a weight change is in the cards for Julianna Pena. Pena is currently the second ranked Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) women’s bantamweight. Not including her fights on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) show, Pena is 4-1 under the UFC banner. She was submitted by Valentina Shevchenko in a title eliminator back in January. Earlier this […]

Amanda Nunes vs. Valentina Shevchenko Rematch Targeted For UFC 213

On a night where July 8’s UFC 213 from Las Vegas gained a multitude of high-profile fights, the last announcement of the evening could signify that the card will already feature two title fights. A reported surfaced from MMA Fighting late in the evening that UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes will defend her title

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On a night where July 8’s UFC 213 from Las Vegas gained a multitude of high-profile fights, the last announcement of the evening could signify that the card will already feature two title fights.

A reported surfaced from MMA Fighting late in the evening that UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes will defend her title against surging No. 1 contender Valentina Shevchenko. It’s unknown which position Nunes vs. Shevchenko will occupy on the main card as of this writing.

The potential bout will be a rematch of their first meeting at 2016’s UFC 196, where Nunes narrowly outlasted Shevchenko by dominating early action with her patented power striking before having the tables turned on her as she badly faded in the final frame. “Bullet” rebounded impressively by beating former champion Holly Holm by decision at UFC on FOX 20 and earned her proposed rematch with Nunes by submitting Julianna Pena in the main event of January’s UFC on FOX 23.

Nunes’ recent run has been even more impactful, as she went on to run over former champion Miesha Tate in the main event of last July’s UFC 200, parlaying that into by far the biggest win of her illustrious MMA career when she stopped legendary inaugural UFC women’s champion Ronda Rousey with a shocking 48-second TKO at December 30’s UFC 207.

This blockbuster will join the recently announced Robbie Lawler vs. Donald Cerrone, Fabricio Werdum vs. Alistair Overeem, and Anthony Pettis vs. Jim Miller alongside the previously announced Cody Garbrandt vs. TJ Dillashaw title bout for what is turning out to be an absolutely stacked card for the UFC’s traditional midsummer spectacular.

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Amanda Nunes Reacts To Valentina Shevchenko’s Rio Refusal

Amanda Nunes and Valentina Shevchenko are having a tough time agreeing to a date for their perceived upcoming title bout. A rematch between the two, who fought in a close bout that current women’s bantamweight champion Nunes won at last year’s UFC 196, was all but set in stone when Shevchenko submitted Julianna Pena at

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Amanda Nunes and Valentina Shevchenko are having a tough time agreeing to a date for their perceived upcoming title bout.

A rematch between the two, who fought in a close bout that current women’s bantamweight champion Nunes won at last year’s UFC 196, was all but set in stone when Shevchenko submitted Julianna Pena at January 28’s UFC on FOX 23 and Nunes gave up her quest to fight for the featherweight belt.

All that was left was to set the date, so Nunes recently (and understandably) called Shevchenko out for June 3’s UFC 212 from her homeland in Rio de Janeiro:

‘Bullet’ was quick to fire back, explaining that the UFC had offered them both a fast turnaround to fight at April 8’s UFC 210 event from Buffalo, but “The Lioness” turned it down so she made plans. Because of that fact, Shevchenko proclaimed she’d be ready anytime in July:

Finally, the champion took a bit of umbrage to her foil’s reply, noting that challengers do not pick the date of the fight, only show up and fight:

That’s an understandable response from the champ, who’s coming off a dominant first-round stoppage of former champ Ronda Rousey that lasted only 48 brutal seconds.

However, it looks like Nunes’ attempt to get her next title defense confirmed for Brazil backfired when she turned down an earlier fight day, as Shevchenko is now aiming for the festivities of International Fight Week in July.

UFC 212 still boats a high-profile title fight, with longtime featherweight champ Jose Aldo set to defend his newly-reacquired belt against streaking interim champ Max Holloway in the main event.

As for Nunes and Shevchenko, who are you picking to win the rematch, no matter when it happens?

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