Background and Early Life

Julianna Peña was born on August 19, 1989, in Spokane, Washington. She is the youngest of four siblings, and her older sister, Grace Peña, previously worked as a journalist and meteorologist for KREM 2 News. Julianna developed an early interest in martial arts and combat sports, which later became the foundation for her professional MMA career. She graduated from Mt. Spokane High School in 2007 and pursued further education at Spokane Community College in her hometown.

MMA Career and UFC Achievements

Peña began her professional mixed martial arts (MMA) career in May 2009 at the age of 20. She quickly built momentum, winning her first four fights. In December 2013, she gained national attention by defeating Shayna Baszler during Season 18 of The Ultimate Fighter. Her comeback victory earned her the "Comeback of the Year" award in 2013 by several MMA media outlets, reflecting her resilience and determination inside the octagon.

Peña made her official UFC debut on November 30, 2013, defeating Jessica Rakoczy via technical knockout in the first round at The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale. On the show, Peña had a close bond with her coach, Miesha Tate, with whom she had trained prior to the competition. That connection influenced team selections, as Tate was eager to draft Peña. Conversely, rival coach Ronda Rousey notably passed over Peña during team selection due to her known allegiance to Tate.

Her UFC contract has earned her a base salary reported at $56,000, though her total earnings from fights, sponsorships, and performance bonuses are higher. Over the course of her career, she has fought in more than a dozen official bouts and has accumulated an estimated net worth of $196,000. As of January 17, 2017, she was ranked No. 5 in the UFC women’s bantamweight division, underlining her position as one of the top contenders in the sport.