Raquel Pennington Losses – Amanda Nunes, Holly Holm and others who defeated the UFC champion

Like a phoenix, Raquel Pennington Rising from the rubble of a broken back that seemingly ended her athletic career, she went on to become a UFC champion. After all, “Rocky” was a multi-sport athlete as a child and had a promising athletic career ahead of him when he graduated from college. However, an unfortunate snowboarding accident led to a back injury and the end of her athletic career. At least it seemed that way.

But as one door closed, another opened for Pennington, as she discovered martial arts almost by accident while recovering from her first serious injury. However, that would only be one of many obstacles on her way to becoming one of the best fighters in the world. As “Rocky” prepares to defend her UFC title, we take a look at the ups and downs she went through to reach the pinnacle of her sport.

Who did Raquel Pennington lose to in the UFC?

Raquel Pennington has suffered six losses since joining the UFC (including a loss to “TUF”). The Colorado native, of course, was part of Season 18 of “TUF,” the first-ever season of the UFC’s flagship show open to female fighters. Although “Rocky” lost in the quarterfinals to Jessica Rakoczy (in a fight that earned Fight of the Season honors), her courage and fighting spirit so impressed Dana White that he offered Pennington a UFC contract.

Although the Colorado resident won her first fight in the UFC proper, she lost a close decision to the future flyweight world champion Jessica Andrade at UFC 171 in March 2014. Her mixed form continued as she won her next fight but lost to the best of all time Holly Holm in 'Rocky's fourth UFC fight by another close decision.

Luckily, she bounced back strongly and went on a four-fight winning streak, including stopping Andrade in their UFC 191 rematch and a decision win over her “TUF” 18 trainer. Miesha Tate in November 2016, which earned her a title opportunity. Unfortunately, this resulted in a duel slip-up.

In May 2018 she met probably the greatest mixed martial arts fighter of all time Amanda Nunes for the bantamweight title at UFC 224. While the 36-year-old performed well, Nunes stopped her in the fifth round and handed Pennington her first stoppage loss in the UFC.

In her next fight on a Fight Night card that same year, Germaine de Randamie handed the Colorado native her fifth UFC loss. Her last UFC (to date) came in a rematch with Holly Holm at UFC 246, where she suffered another decision loss, this time a comprehensive unanimous decision to “The Preacher's Daughter”. But what about Pennington's losses before entering the UFC?

Raquel Pennington's losses outside the UFC

After a promising amateur stint between 2009 and 2011, where she lost only one of her seven fights, Raquel Pennington turned pro in 2012 and started her professional career with a bang. After knocking out Kim Couture in her professional debut, “Rocky” lost her next fight. Although her second opponent, Tori Addams, was unable to stop Pennington when they met the Rocky Mountain Bad Boyz in June 2012, “Rocky” lost a comprehensive unanimous decision to Addams.

Two wins later, Pennington would face the future UFC and Bellator title contender. Zingano cat at Invicta FC 3, where “Alpha” caught “Rocky” with a fatal rear naked choke hold in the second round, which was the latter's first stoppage loss in her professional career. Hoping to get back on her feet, the Colorado native fought on Invicta's next card in January 2013, where she faced Leslie Smith on the main card.

“The Peacemaker” dominated this matchup, outclassing Pennington throughout the entire three rounds, winning a unanimous decision and handing “Rocky” his second loss in a row. Despite a mixed record of 3-2 in her first five fights, Pennington's heart, courage and potential were visible to everyone. Because of this, she was invited to the 18th season of “TUF,” where she reached the quarterfinals as part of Team Tate. And the rest, as they say, is history and put her on the path to becoming a UFC champion.

Who did Raquel Pennington take over the UFC bantamweight belt from?

After suffering the aforementioned loss to Holly Holm in their rematch in 2020, Pennington found her way back to form and went on a five-fight win streak that would give her another shot at the title following the retirement of Amanda Nunes in 2023 Bantamweight brought in Brazilian grappling champion Mayra Bueno Silva in the co-main event of UFC 297 for UFC gold in January 2024. “Sheetara” would pose quite a challenge for Pennington with her impressive ground game and undefeated UFC record. And that indeed seemed to be the case; At least in the first round.

Bueno Silva clearly dominated the first round of their title fight, defeating Pennington and keeping her there for the majority of the round. Everything seemed to be going wrong for “Rocky.” However, Pennington is extremely tenacious, as the rest of the fight proved.

The Colorado native took total and complete control over the next four rounds, dominating the Brazilian on the feet and on the ground. Her dominance was so complete that she seemingly broke “Sheetara” in the final two rounds, landing more than four times as many punches as Bueno Silva. At the end of her mandatory five rounds, Pennington won a clear and comprehensive unanimous decision and emerged as the new UFC women's bantamweight champion.

Pennington's journey to the top, which saw her lose a string of fights, is perhaps the best proof that defeat is not, in fact, fatal, but rather the courage to keep fighting and the strength to keep going, no matter what Life throws at you, actually deadly are the only things that matter. What do you think about Pennington's inspiring journey to the top?