Like a phoenix, Raquel Pennington rose from the ashes of a broken back, which seemingly ended her sporting career to go on to become a UFC champion. After all, ‘Rocky’ was a multi-sport athlete growing up, and was set for a promising athletic career going into college. However, an unfortunate snowboarding accident led to a back injury and the end of her sporting career. Or so it seemed.

But as one door closed, another opened for Pennington, as she discovered martial arts, almost accidentally while recovering from her first major injury. That, however, would prove to be only one of the many speed bumps along her way to becoming one of the best fighters in the entire world. As ‘Rocky’ sets up to defend her UFC title, let us take a look at the ups and downs that she went through to reach the pinnacle of her sport.

Who has Raquel Pennington lost to in the UFC

Raquel Pennington has suffered six losses since joining the UFC (including one loss on ‘TUF’). The Colorado native, of course, was part of ‘TUF’season 18, which was the very first season of the UFC’s flagship show that was open to female fighters. Even though ‘Rocky’ lost in the quarter-finals to Jessica Rakoczy (in a fight that was given the ‘Fight of the Season’ honors), her grit and warrior spirit impressed Dana White enough that he offered Pennington a UFC contract.

Although the Colorado resident was able to win her first fight in the UFC proper, she lost a close split decision to future flyweight champion Jessica Andrade on UFC 171 in March 2014. Her patchy form continued as she won her next fight, but lost to all-time great Holly Holm in ‘Rocky’s fourth UFC fight via another close split decision.

Thankfully, she rallied back strongly and went on a four-fight win streak including stopping Andrade in their UFC 191 rematch and a decision victory over her ‘TUF’ 18 coach, Miesha Tate in November 2016, earning her a title shot. Unfortunately, this was followed by a two-fight skid.

In May 2018 she faced arguably the greatest-ever female mixed martial artist Amanda Nunes for the bantamweight title on UFC 224. While the 36-year-old gave a good showing of herself, Nunes stopped her in the fifth round, handing Pennington her first stoppage loss in the UFC.

In her very next fight on a Fight Night card the same year, Germaine de Randamie handed the Colorado native her fifth UFC loss. Her final UFC (so far) came in a rematch with Holly Holm on UFC 246, suffering another decision loss, this time a comprehensive unanimous one to ‘The Preacher’s Daughter.’ But what about Pennington’s losses prior to coming into the UFC?

Raquel Pennington’s losses outside the UFC

After a promising amateur stint between 2009-11, where she lost just one of her seven fights, Raquel Pennington went pro in 2012, starting her pro career with a bang. After knocking out Kim Couture on her pro debut, ‘Rocky’ lost her very next fight. Although her second opponent, Tori Addams couldn’t stop Pennington on their Rocky Mountain Bad Boyz clash in June 2012, ‘Rocky’ lost a comprehensive unanimous decision to Addams.

Two wins later, Pennington would face future UFC and Bellator title contender, Cat Zingano on Invicta FC 3, where ‘Alpha’ caught ‘Rocky’ in a lethal rear naked choke hold in the second round, which was the latter’s first stoppage loss in her pro career. Hoping to bounce back, the Colorado native fought on Invicta’s next card in January 2013, where she faced Leslie Smith on the main card.

‘The Peacemaker’ dominated that clash, outclassing Pennington for the entire three rounds to win a unanimous decision and hand ‘Rocky’ her second consecutive loss. Despite a mixed record of 3-2 in her first five fights, Pennington’s heart, grit, and potential were clear for everyone to see. This is why she was invited to season 18 of ‘TUF’, where she went to the quarterfinals as part of Team Tate. And the rest, as they say, is history, and put her on course to become a UFC champion.

Who did Raquel Pennington take the UFC bantamweight belt from?

After suffering the aforementioned loss to Holly Holm in their 2020 rematch, Pennington found her form and went on a five-fight win streak, which earned her another bantamweight title shot at the vacant title following Amanda Nunes’ retirement in 2023. ‘Rocky’ faced Brazilian grappling maestro Mayra Bueno Silva in the co-main event of UFC 297 for the UFC gold in January 2024. ‘Sheetara’, with her formidable ground game and undefeated UFC record was expected to be quite a challenge for Pennington. And that indeed seemed to be the case; in the first round, at least.

Bueno Silva clearly dominated the first round of their title bout, taking Pennington down and keeping her there for the majority of the round. It all seemed to be going wrong for ‘Rocky.’ However, Pennington is nothing if not tenacious, as the rest of the fight proved.

The Colorado native utterly and completely took command of the next four rounds, dominating the Brazilian on the feet and the ground. So complete was her dominance that she seemingly broke ‘Sheetara’ in the last two rounds, landing over four times the strikes Bueno Silva did in them. At the end of their stipulated 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 has seen her lose a fair number of fights, is perhaps the best proof that indeed defeat is not fatal and the courage to continue fighting and the strength to keep moving forward no matter what life throws at you is indeed the only things that count. What are your thoughts on Pennington’s inspiring journey to the top?