Julianna Pena narrowly edged out a split-decision win over Raquel Pennington tonight at UFC 307 to become bantamweight champion for the second time in her career.
Round One:
The women’s bantamweight title fight is underway in Salt Lake City.
Pennington pumps out the jab as Pena holds a high guard. Lengthy jab from Pena and gets it again. Left hook for her.
Jab gets through again for Pena. Nice left hand for Pennington backs up Pena for a moment. Glancing right hand from Pena. Jab for Pennington.
Pena’s jab lands again and then a right hand. A few punches coming up short now as they both approach the striking battle with caution.
Glancing left hook from Pena. Pennington steps into a nice uppercut. Low kick for Pennington. Short flurry of punches from Pena but not landing cleanly.
Punch does get through for Pena now. Right hand for her and Pennington lands a body kick.
Round Two:
The cautious striking exchanges continue early in the second round. Punch lands for Pena. Overhand right hand lands for her.
Front kick to the body for Pennington. Now a left hook. They clinch up. A couple of knee attempts from Pennington cost her as Pena lands a nice takedown off it.
Pennington has a lump on her forehead, not clear what from. Pena in the middle of the cage here in side control.
Knees to the body from Pena. Pena around to north-south position. There’s a scramble and Pennington stands. Pennington spinning around to the back though and hops up onto her.
A minute left as Pennington walks over to the cage with Pena locked on. Pennington trying to land a few punches behind her. Pena puts a leg down. Late in the round she thinks about a submission but there’s not enough time.
Round Three:
Jab for Pena. Inside leg kick from Pennington. Nice punch from Pena as Pennington tried a superman punch. Missed punches from Pena and Pennington counters with one of her own.
Jabs off the guard from Pennington. She tries a kick. Right hand from Pena. Glancing left from her. Uppercut gets through for Pena. She clinches up now and then manages to land a trip takedown.
Pena in side control again. There’s a scramble and Pennington eventually gets to her knees and tries to stand. Pena able to get her back though and put in the body triangle. A few punches from Pena. Now hammerfists.
Pena now trying to sink in the rear-naked choke. It’s starting to get dangerous, but Pennington fights it off. 20 seconds of the round remaining and Pena is now content to just maintain her dominant position.
Round Four:
Head kick from Pennington seems to daze Pena. Pennington presses forward but Pena unleashes with a series of punches.
leg kick from Pennington. Pena with a right hand. Uppercut from Pennington. Pena tries to land an overhand as Pennington lands a low kick.
Jab from Pena and a grazing right hand behind it. Pennington with the jab. Body punch for her after Pena misses a few punches.
Another body punch from Pennington. Suddenly a right hand from Pennington floors Pena!
Pennington goes to the mat with Pena. She’s trying to feel out a submmission attempt, but Pena is able to scramble back to her feet and clinch Pennington up against the cage.
Pennington able to break free. She marches forward. One-two from Pena. Pennington feeling out with the jab. Left hook from her.
Pennington continuing to push forward as Pena backs up.
Round Five:
Pennington jumps into a right hand. She’s working behind her jab here, trying to keep Pena at bay.
Glancing right hand from Pena. More jabs from Pennington. Hard right hook from Pena. Jabs from Pennington.
Pena tries to clinch but doesn’t get going with it. Pennington with a clinch of her own up against the cage.
They separate. Pena with a nice punch. Pennington with a brief clinch then back to striking range.
Pena goes for a combo but eats a counter and seems hurt again. She backs up a bit then they exchange again.
Pennington misses a punch and now it’s Pena who counters her with a nice punch of her own.
Right hand for Pena. Right hand scores cleanly for Pena. One-two for Pennington. Jab for Pena and a punch in return from Pennington.
Pennington with a left as Pena was trying to land. Final superman punch attempt from Pennington.
Decision:
A competitive battle here then with Pena’s best work coming on the mat in the second and third rounds, while Pennington had a big fourth round in which she landed a head kick and also dropped Pena with a punch. The fifth round also was a good one for Pennington, leaving a close first round as the potential decider.
In the end it’s Pena who emerges as the new champion via split decision (48-47 x2, 47-48).
