Fans witnessed possibly the biggest upset in UFC title fight history on Saturday night when Julianna Pena submitted consensus women’s MMA GOAT, Amanda Nunes.
The two met in the co-main event of UFC 269 on December 11, 2021, in Las Vegas, Nevada. After a tough first round, Pena stood and threw with Nunes in the second round, catching the then-135 pound champ several times and hurting her en route to a rear-naked choke victory.
It was Nunes’ first loss inside the Octagon since 2014. Although “The Lioness” was defeated by “The Venezuelan Vixen,” she is still the undisputed women’s featherweight champion.
Several of the fighters’ colleagues reacted to the fight. UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman tweeted: “Wooooooooooow!!! What did I just watch?? Peñaaaaaaaa!!!”
Wooooooooooow!!! What did I just watch?? Peñaaaaaaaa!!! #UFC269
Former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo tweeted: “Nunes didn’t use her power correctly. Got to emotional, taped due to exhaustion.(no legs in choke) Peña was right Will won this fight. Congrats Juliana Pena.”
Nunes didn’t use her power correctly. Got to emotional, taped due to exhaustion.(no legs in choke) Peña was right Will won this fight. Congrats Juliana Pena #ufc269
Former UFC women’s featherweight champion and current Bellator champion Cris Cyborg shared an image dipicting a phone call from UFC president Dana White, tweeting: “congrats
@VenezuelanVixen #CyborgVsNunes2.”
🙏🏽 congrats @VenezuelanVixen #CyborgVsNunes2
Former UFC interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson congratulated Pena:
Great Fight @VenezuelanVixen # Jab🥇Central 🥊💨🍃 Well Earned -CSO- 🇺🇸🏆🇲🇽
Top-ranked UFC welterweight Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson tweeted: “WWOOOOOOOOWWWWW. PEÑA!!!!!”
WWOOOOOOOOWWWWW 😳😳😳😳😳 PEÑA!!!!! #UFC269
Former Bellator and ONE welterweight champion Ben Askren tweeted: “Do you lose GOAT status for getting rear naked choked with no boots in???”
Do you lose GOAT status for getting rear naked choked with no boots in???
UFC featherweight Bryce Mitchell tweeted: “Called it on my IG.”
Called it on my IG
Reactions to Pena’s Upset Win Continue
The official UFC Twitter page tweeted: “WHAT. JUST. HAPPENED.”
WHAT. JUST. HAPPENED. 🤯
UFC strawweight Angela Hill tweeted: “What?!!!!!!!”
What?!!!!!!! #UFC269
TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter tweeted: “That has to be the biggest upset in UFC title fight history. Bigger than Serra over GSP and Holm over Rousey.
That has to be the biggest upset in UFC title fight history.
Bigger than Serra over GSP and Holm over Rousey.
“Morning Kombat” co-host Luke Thomas wrote: “If you listened to Morning Kombat, Pena winning here shouldn’t be that surprising. You were warned.”
If you listened to Morning Kombat, Pena winning here shouldn’t be that surprising. You were warned.
Heavy’s Kelsey McCarson tweeted: “Absolutely amazing upset.”
BT Sports’ Chamatkar Sandhu tweeted: “MMA remains the most unpredictable sport in the world. Unbelievable scenes. Take a bow, Julianna Peña!”
Former UFC fighter and ex-Bellator welterweight champion Will Brooks tweeted: I’m not sure why Amanda decided to stay in a gun fight like that. Amanda hasn’t done that or allowed anyone to get her there in a very long time.”
I’m not sure why Amanda decided to stay in a gun fight like that. Amanda hasn’t done that or allowed anyone to get her there in a very long time.
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UFC 269 Full Fight Card Results
Main Card
Charles Oliveira def. Dustin Poirier via third-round rear-naked choke
Julianna Pena def. Amanda Nunes via second-round rear-naked choke
Geoff Neal def. Santiago Ponzinibbio via split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)
Kai Kara-France def. Cody Garbrandt first-round TKO
Sean O’Malley def. Raulian Paiva via first-round TKO
Preliminary Card
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 second-round KO
Bruno Silva def. Jordan Wright via first-round TKO
Early Preliminary Card
Andre Muniz def. Eryk Anders via first-round armbar
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 second-round TKO
Gillian Robertson def. Priscila Cachoeira via first-round rear-naked choke
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UFC World Reacts to Julianna Pena Silencing Women’s GOAT Amanda Nunes