Raquel Pennington Record: 16-9-0

Building toward a title shot

Pennington's Octagon run was a steady, grinding ascent. After a split-decision loss to Jéssica Andrade in 2014 and another split loss to Holly Holm in 2015, she avenged the Andrade defeat with a rear-naked-choke finish at UFC 191 in September 2015. She then rattled off the best stretch of her early career, edging Bethe Correia, beating Elizabeth Phillips, and handing former champion Miesha Tate a unanimous-decision loss at UFC 205 in November 2016. That run earned Pennington a title shot at UFC 224 in May 2018, where she was stopped by dominant champion Amanda Nunes via fifth-round TKO.

The long road to champion

Pennington refused to fade. Following losses to Germaine de Randamie and a second decision defeat to Holly Holm, she rebuilt with wins over Irene Aldana, Marion Reneau, Pannie Kianzad, Macy Chiasson, Aspen Ladd and Ketlen Vieira. The five-fight winning streak carried her to a vacant-title bout at UFC 297 in January 2024, where she defeated Mayra Bueno Silva by unanimous decision to finally capture the UFC women's bantamweight championship. Her reign was brief: in her first defense at UFC 307 in October 2024, she lost the belt to Julianna Peña by split decision.

Fighting style

Pennington is a high-output, pressure-first fighter whose game is built on cardio, toughness and a relentless pace. Eleven of her 16 wins have come by decision, with four submissions reflecting her jiu-jitsu pedigree, and her 31 percent finish rate underlines a style that wears opponents down over 15 or 25 minutes rather than seeking the quick stoppage. Notoriously hard to discourage, she has shown elite chin and conditioning. The flip side is finishing power: seven of her nine losses have come on the scorecards, often in the closest of fights against the division's very best.

Career highlights

• UFC women's bantamweight champion — defeated Mayra Bueno Silva at UFC 297 to win the vacant title after more than a decade in the sport.
• Beat a former champion — handed Miesha Tate a decision loss at UFC 205, a result that sent Tate into retirement.
• Two-time title challenger before her reign — earned a shot at champion Amanda Nunes at UFC 224 before eventually climbing back to claim the belt herself.