FIGHTER PROFILE: Julianna Peña

Julianna Pena secures nasty submission of Sara McMann in final seconds — Peña lands a shot. Photo Courtesy of Zuffa LLC

Julianna Peña will make her return to the UFC Octagon on Saturday December 11th. She will be facing the greatest female MMA fighter of all time, Amanda Nunes.The five round championship bout which was originally scheduled for August 7th at UFC 265 had to be rescheduled after Nunes was unfortunately diagnosed with Covid-19. Nunes has been on an amazing 12 fight win streak, and is the only Woman to ever hold two belts as the reigning UFC Bantamweight and Featherweight champion. Peña hopes to fight her way into taking one of Nunes’ belts away.

Peña was born August 19, 1989 in Spokane, Washington and is the youngest of four siblings. She didn’t have any Martial arts experience growing up, but took up cardio kickboxing to stay in shape. Peña decided to switch to training MMA after some time she decided to take her first amateur bout. She made her MMA debut on February 6th 2009 for the ExciteFight promotion against Kate Dell, she’d win by Decision (Unanimous.) She’d fight one more time in her amateur career, a win against Cynthia Hernandez by Submission.

Peña with success in her amateur bouts decided to go pro. She made her debut against Raylene Harvey and won via Submission (rear-naked choke.) She’d fight five more times for various promotions compiling a 4-2 record. She’d catch the attention of the UFC and was added to the Bantamweight Tournament on the Ultimate Fighters 18th season coached by Women’s MMA trailblazers Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate. On the show she fought Gina Mazany winning by decision, Shayna Baszler by Submission (rear-naked choke,) and Sarah Moras who she finished by Submission (guillotine choke.) Peña would go on to face Jessica Rakoczy in the show’s finale, she’d win by TKO (punches) and won The Ultimate Fighter 18 Bantamweight Tournament.

Peña was supposed to fight against Jessica Andrade at UFC 171 in March of 2014, but unfortunately tore her ACL, MCL, LCL and meniscus while grappling in preparing for the fight. Unfortunately her injury kept Peña from being able to compete for the rest of 2014. This would be a major setback for Peña but she’d return to the Octagon against Milana Dudieva on April 4, 2015. She’d bring home the W and would go on to win against Jessica Eye at UFC 192 in October of that year. Peña would then fight Cat Zingano by unanimous decision. She’d then go on to face MMA great Valentina Shevchenko unfortunately Peña didn’t bring home the W. She’d win two of her next three securing victories over former Flyweight Champion Nicco Montaño and Sara McMann.

Peña returns to action at UFC 269 against Amanda Nunes for the Women’s Bantamweight Championship. Peña’s wrestling will hopefully come into play when she faces Nunes if she can secure the takedown as Nunes is lethal on the feet. It should be a great fight!

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FIGHTER PROFILE: CHARLES OLIVEIRA

Charles Oliveira captured the vacant UFC lightweight title

Charles Oliveira will be making his return to the UFC Octagon to make his first title defense at UFC 269 against Dustin Poirier. Oliveira who is a submission specialist with knockout power. Oliveira is a 3rd degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Ericson Cardoso and Jorge “Macaco” Patino. And he hopes to finish Dustin Poirier by Snap, Tap, or nap. But Poirier is riding his own streak so it will be interesting to see how this one shakes out. It’s sure to be a great fight.

Oliveira was born in Guarujá, São Paulo, Brazil on October 17, 1989. Oliveira was born into a poor family and came from nothing and was raised in a favela which is a type of slum in Brazil which is a very rough place to grow up. As a child Oliveira started playing soccer, but unfortunately at age seven he was diagnosed with Rheumatic fever and a Heart murmur. This condition affected Oliveira who was told by doctors he might not be able to walk again. Despite this setback Oliveira continued walking and took up Martial Arts. He started out with a neighbor, but soon it would consume him; he won his first major Jiu Jitsu title as a white belt in 2003.

In 2007 Oliveira took his first MMA fight against Rui Machado for the Circuito Nacional de Vale-Tudo Amador promotion. Oliveira would win by Submission (Armbar.) Oliveira would then go pro, he’d make his pro debut against Jackson Pontes for the Predador FC Promotion. He’d fight twice more for that promotion that night with victories over Viscardi Andrade and Diego Braga both by TKO. Oliveira would fight for a few more different promotions and compiled an impressive record of 12-0. Oliveira caught the attention of the UFC.

Oliveira made his UFC debut on August 1, 2010 with a victory over Darren Elkins by Submission (armbar.) his next fight would be a win against Efrain Escudero by Submission (rear-naked choke.) After this fight Oliveira would have a rough patch in his career with his first loss to Jim Miller, then a no contest to Nik Lentz, and then a Loss to Cowboy Cerrone. He’d win his next two, but then drop a pair of fights to Frankie Edgar. He’d win six of his next 10 fights. Oliveira would then return to Lightweight where he has been unstoppable. Only losing one fight to Paul Felder. Oliveira has been on a nine fight win streak including a win in his last fight for the vacant Lightweight title against Michael Chandler at UFC 262 which he won by TKO (punches.)

Oliveira makes his return to the UFC octagon on Saturday at UFC 269 to defend his title. Oliveira does everything right so it will be interesting to see if he pulls off the victory against Poirier.

Charles Oliveira vs. Dustin Poirier Officially Announced for UFC 269 on Dec. 11

Charles Oliveira vs. Dustin Poirier targeted for lightweight title fight at UFC 269 on Dec. 11 - MMA Fighting — Poirier is coming off back to back wins against Conor McGregor Photo Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

The long awaited and previously rumored Lightweight title bout between undisputed UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira and number one ranked Lightweight Dustin Poirier. This fight which is scheduled for UFC 269 on December 11th is sure to be a banger. These two are hoping to show their martial arts prowess in the UFC Octagon.

Oliveira who is a UFC veteran is on an impressive nine fight win streak with victories over big names including Tony Furgeson and Michael Chandler. Oliveira has an impressive submission game and has the second most submissions by a lightweight in UFC history, an impressive feat considering the amount of amazing fighters who have competed in this division.

Poirier is coming off back to back wins against Conor McGregor who he actually lost to his first time fighting the notorious one. The only loss in Poirier’s career in the last four years was to Khabib Nurmagomedov, the greatest lightweight of all time. Poirier has come back from that loss with a vengeance.

Poirier has business and philanthropic interests. He runs The Good Fight Foundation with his wife, Jolie. In 2020 Poirier received the Forrest Griffin Community award from the UFC for all of his charity work. Poirier also runs a hot sauce business under the Heatonist brand. ‘Poiriers Louisiana Style’ hot sauce was released in late 2020 with a hotter version being released in mid 2021.

You can donate to The Good Fight Foundation HERE

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Brandon Moreno Vs. Deiveson Figueiredo 3 Announced For UFC 269 on December 11

Deiveson Figueiredo retiene el título de peso mosca tras un empate... — Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Yesterday, September 15, 2021 ESPN MMA reported that a trilogy fight between Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo would take place on December 11th at UFC 269. The fight will be scheduled for five rounds and will be Moreno’s first title defense of the UFC Flyweight Belt against the familiar foe.

The pair of Flyweights are getting very familiar as they’ve both have only faced each other for the last year in consecutive fights for the UFC Flyweight Championship. In their first fight the judges scored the bout as a unanimous draw with Figueiredo retaining the Flyweight title as a point was deducted in round 3 due to repeated groin strikes in December 2020 at UFC 256.

The pair met again in June of 2021 at UFC 263 with Moreno winning by submission (rear-naked Choke) in round three. Moreno became the Flyweight Champion that night. Moreno, who was born in Mexico, became the first Mexican UFC champion. That’s quite the feat considering the promotion is almost 28 years old and based in the country right next to Mexico.

UFC 269 is shaping up to be a great card and will also feature Amanda Nunes vs. Julianna Pena for women’s bantamweight title. Charles Olivera and Dustin Poirier are also rumored to headline the card with Brazil’s Charles Olivera defending his lightweight title against Louisiana’s Poirier.

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