UFC is the place where fighters are forged in the fires of adversity. Even amidst the proving ground of the Octagon, love can blossom in the most unexpected places. UFC Strawweight prospect Tecia Pennington [formerly Tecia Torres] and current Bantamweight queen Raquel Pennington are prime examples of what an ‘association’ looks like beyond the bright lights of MMA. ‘Tiny Tornado’ will look to register her claim at division gold in her upcoming bout against the former champ Carla Esparza at UFC 307. 

Ever since debuting with the MMA juggernaut at The Ultimate Fighter 20 way back in 2014, Pennington has been on a mixed trajectory in her UFC career. It is high time that we take a deeper look at the Strawweight’s life.

Where is Tecia Pennington from? Ethnicity and nationality

Tecia Pennington was born in Fall River, Massachusetts but as she turned 5, her family moved to Coral Springs, Florida. The strawweight star undertook the massive task of shifting places with her brother and sister while her single mother took center stage in their lives. Pennington undertook and started training in the disciplines of Taekwondo, Muay Thai, and MMA, the latter of which she had been practicing since she was 3.

Interestingly, she is of Puerto Rican descent and was not aware that fighters from her heritage were a rarity in the world of MMA. As an adult, she realized that fighting had always been a part of her life, even though she was unaware of it as a child. This comes from the fact that her parents were avid boxing and UFC fans. They watched the sport regularly and were familiar with legendary fighters like Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz long before their daughter had any inkling of the sport.

At 20, the MMA prodigy showed that she was not just brawn but also had immense intelligence. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice as well as Sociology. ‘Tiny Tornado’ would then attend the same university to achieve her master’s in Criminology in 2017 which came nearly seven years after her initial graduation. The UFC Strawweight contender credits her success to her parents and family so let’s have a look at her support system!

A closer look at Pennington’s personal life and social advocacy

“I was my dad’s shadow, so I went with him and I started there,” she recalled and told UFC. “Then my parents separated, and my mom took us to Florida, and the one thing my mom promised would be that she would keep me in karate, so that’s why I started doing karate in Florida.” She is a force to be reckoned with inside the Octagon but is also someone who can speak her mind and is willing to discuss more vulnerable topics like her mental health. Additionally, she has been an ardent advocate and a member of the LGBTQ community and is one of the most well-rounded individuals you can ever meet.

While speaking to the UFC, she has shed light on her responsibility as a role model for the youth on numerous occasions. The strawweight said, “I feel like I am a role model to people and people look up to me, but I try to be as authentic as I can. In the last two years, I’ve shared my battles with my mental health and when I preach things, I’m preaching it to myself and I hope I get that point across. We’re in this together and working on it. Yes, I’m telling you this, but I’m also telling myself this as a reminder.”

Tecia Pennington is a devoted wife. She has been married to the current Bantamweight queen Raquel Pennington with the couple tying the knot way back in 2017. They have been going strong ever since and also have a daughter by the name of Alayah Rose Pennigton. It is safe to say that the prospect has a solid list of role models in her life with her parents being veterans of the MMA world.

‘Tiny Tornado’ will look to return to the cage against former TUF rival and a former champion in the form of Carla Esparza. Fans are eagerly anticipating the outcome of this exciting matchup. What are your thoughts? Drop them in the comment section below!