Julianna Peña Net Worth

Julianna Peña is an American mixed martial artist with an estimated net worth of $2 million. She competes in the bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and is widely recognized as the first woman to win The Ultimate Fighter. Peña rose to global prominence after scoring one of the biggest upsets in UFC history by defeating Amanda Nunes for the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship.

Julianna Peña Net Worth	$2 Million
Date of Birth	August 19, 1989
Place of Birth	Spokane, Washington

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Early Life

Julianna Peña was born on August 19, 1989, in Spokane, Washington. She is the youngest of four siblings and is of Mexican and Venezuelan descent. Peña attended Spokane High School, graduating in 2007, and later enrolled at Spokane Community College.

Initially seeking to lose weight and manage her emotions, Peña joined a cardio kickboxing class, which eventually led her to train in mixed martial arts, setting the foundation for her professional fighting career.

MMA Career

After posting a 2–0 amateur record, Peña made her professional MMA debut in May 2009. She won her first four fights before suffering her first loss in 2012.

In 2013, Peña was selected for “The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rousey vs. Team Tate.” She defeated Gina Mazany in the elimination round and went on to upset heavily favored Shayna Baszler in the competition. Peña continued her run by beating Sarah Moras in the semifinals and Jessica Rakoczy in the finals, becoming the first female winner of The Ultimate Fighter.

Peña made her UFC debut in 2015 and earned a Performance of the Night bonus after knocking out Milana Dudieva. She later recorded notable wins over Jessica Eye, Cat Zingano, Nico Montaño, and Sara McMann, while also facing elite competition such as Valentina Shevchenko and Germaine de Randamie.

UFC Championship Victory

In December 2021, Julianna Peña challenged Amanda Nunes for the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship. Despite being a heavy underdog, Peña won the fight via rear-naked choke submission, capturing the title in what is widely regarded as one of the biggest upsets in UFC history.

She later coached opposite Nunes on “The Ultimate Fighter 30” and faced her again in July 2022, losing the rematch by unanimous decision.

Personal Life

In 2017, Peña announced she was pregnant and took time away from competition. She returned to the UFC in 2019 after giving birth to her daughter, Isabella, in 2018.

Julianna Peña is married to Luis Alejandre, a professional martial arts trainer and the founder of Stronghold Jiu-Jitsu Academy.