Julianna Pena winning the UFC women’s bantamweight championship still seems so farfetched. Only two fights before her bout with Amanda Nunes at UFC 269 on Dec. 11, 2021, Pena had been submitted by Germaine de Randamie, who had never previously won a fight by submission. All of the signs were pointing to Nunes giving Pena an early exit like it was a UFC fight night.
But Nunes, who had reigned as champion for five years with five title defenses, decided to engage in a firefight with Pena. Nunes, who had previously knocked out the seemingly unbeatable Cris Cyborg, couldn’t keep up with the Venezuelan Vixen. Pena stung her with punches and then was able to secure a rear-naked choke victory.
Pena has a chance at UFC 270 to prove her first victory wasn’t a fluke. Here’s a look at some other UFC underdogs and how they faired in their title rematch with the favorite.
I’m just better, man
“Thug” Rose Namajunas stunned the MMA world when she knocked out Joanna Jedrzejczyk in the first round of their strawweight title fight at UFC 217 in November 2017. However, there was some sentiment Namajunas had gotten lucky the first time. A rematch was set up less than five months after the first fight.
Jedrzejczyk and Namajunas would have a five-round war that ultimately went to the cards. Namajunas would end up winning a unanimous decision to prove herself as a worthy champion. Jedrzejcyyk had long been the queen of the division, defending her title five times before her first loss to Namajunas. When asked about her performance after the fight, Namajuna’s summary of her two performances was simple. She was just better.
No low blows, this time
Deiveson Figueiredo looked like a dangerous fighter set to dominate the flyweight division for a long time. Many making UFC predictions believed he would handle Brandon Moreno in their title fight at UFC 263 on June 12, 2021. During their first meeting six months earlier, the pair fought to a majority draw after Figueiredo has docked a point for a low blow.
In the match, however, Moreno caught Figueiredo in the third round. Figueiredo would tap out to a rear-naked choke to allow Moreno to become the first-ever UFC champion from Mexico. The saga between these two is far from over. Figueiredo won the third fight between the pair in January 2022 and they will likely meet a fourth time.
Dillashaw stakes his claim
Cody Garbrandt was a fighter people were claiming to see on any UFC fight card. Garbrandt’s long climb to the top of the bantamweight division culminated with a decision victory over Dominick Cruz to win the title in 2016. While T.J. Dillashaw was recognized as a dangerous opponent, many expected Garbrandt to defend his title.
Dillashaw, meanwhile, didn’t let Garbrandt’s title run have any sort of length to it. Dillashaw would knock out Garbrandt in the second round of their fight at UFC 217 in November 2017 to win the title. Convinced Garbrandt may have star potential, the UFC scheduled a rematch for the title in August 2018.
Dillashaw showed he was game to fight Garbrant, knocking him out in the first round of the second fight.
Stipe gets his revenge, twice
Daniel Cormier was a slight betting favorite going into his bout with former heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic at UFC 241 in August 2019. Cormier had claimed the championship by knocking out Miocic a year earlier. However, when the pair met for a second time, Miocic proved he still had something left.
After Cormier dominated the earlier rounds, Miocici rallied to take over by the third round and would ultimately spill Cormier to the canvas in the fourth round to score a TKO victory. The series is tied, the UFC set up a third fight at UFC 252 in August 2020. Miocic would win that fight by decision to reestablish his perch as the top heavyweight.
