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Julianna Peña: La latina Marcó Un Inicio

El triunfo de la venezolana en TUF 18 fue una bisagra en las MMA femeninas
By Juan Manuel Ibarra • Mar. 8, 2021

En el Día Internacional de la Mujer es clave evocar la noche del 30 de noviembre del 2013, fecha en la que una latina con hambre de gloria le dijo al mundo de los deportes de combate que las peleadoras hispanoamericanas llegaban a UFC para quedarse.

"Entrenemos duro; es el momento de consagrarnos”

Julianna Peña

Esa noche, la luchadora de raíces venezolanas Julianna Peña noqueó a Jessica Rakoczy en el primer round y se adjudicó el reality The Ultimate Fighter 18 en las 135 libras, convirtiéndose así en la primera peleadora en ganar el torneo, en una edición histórica, en donde ambos equipos fueron dirigidos por las estrellas Ronda Rousey y Miesha Tate.

La espectacularidad del estilo de Julianna y su identificación absoluta con el público latino la puso en el centro de la escena y su mensaje fue fuerte y claro: las conquistas latinas venían en camino.

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Photo Gallery: Julianna Pena

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LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 6: (L-R) Julianna Pena punches Shayna Baszler in their preliminary fight during filming of season eighteen of The Ultimate Fighter on June 6, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Al Powers/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 6:  (L-R) Julianna Pena punches Shayna Baszler in their preliminary fight during filming of season eighteen of The Ultimate Fighter on June 6, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Al Powers/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) 

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LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 6: Coach Miesha Tate celebrates with Julianna Pena (blue shorts) after she submits Shayna Baszler (not pictured) in their preliminary fight during filming of season eighteen of The Ultimate Fighter on June 6, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Al Powers/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 6:  Coach Miesha Tate celebrates with Julianna Pena (blue shorts) after she submits Shayna Baszler (not pictured) in their preliminary fight during filming of season eighteen of The Ultimate Fighter on June 6, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Al Powers/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) 

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LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 02: (R-L) Julianna Pena punches Sarah Moras in their semifinal fight during filming of season eighteen of The Ultimate Fighter on July 2, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 02:  (R-L) Julianna Pena punches Sarah Moras in their semifinal fight during filming of season eighteen of The Ultimate Fighter on July 2, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) 

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LAS VEGAS, NV - NOVEMBER 30: (L-R) Julianna Pena punches Jessica Rakoczy in their women's bantamweight final fight during The Ultimate Fighter season 18 live finale inside the Mandalay Bay Events Center on November 30, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

LAS VEGAS, NV - NOVEMBER 30:  (L-R) Julianna Pena punches Jessica Rakoczy in their women's bantamweight final fight during The Ultimate Fighter season 18 live finale inside the Mandalay Bay Events Center on November 30, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

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FAIRFAX, VA - APRIL 04: Juliana Pena celebrates after defeating Milana Dudieva in their women's bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at the Patriot Center on April 4, 2015 in Fairfax, Virginia. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

FAIRFAX, VA - APRIL 04:  Juliana Pena celebrates after defeating Milana Dudieva in their women's bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at the Patriot Center on April 4, 2015 in Fairfax, Virginia. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

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FAIRFAX, VA - APRIL 04: (L-R) Juliana Pena punches Milana Dudieva on the ground in their women's bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at the Patriot Center on April 4, 2015 in Fairfax, Virginia. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

FAIRFAX, VA - APRIL 04:  (L-R) Juliana Pena punches Milana Dudieva on the ground in their women's bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at the Patriot Center on April 4, 2015 in Fairfax, Virginia. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

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HOUSTON, TX - OCTOBER 03: (L-R) Julianna Pena kicks Jessica Eye in their women's bantamweight bout during the UFC 192 event at the Toyota Center on October 3, 2015 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

HOUSTON, TX - OCTOBER 03:  (L-R) Julianna Pena kicks Jessica Eye in their women's bantamweight bout during the UFC 192 event at the Toyota Center on October 3, 2015 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

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Julianna Pena takes down Cat Zigano in their women's bantamweight bout during the UFC 200 event on July 9, 2016 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Julianna Pena takes down Cat Zigano in their women's bantamweight bout during the UFC 200 event on July 9, 2016 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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Julianna Pena fights Cat Zigano in their women's bantamweight bout during the UFC 200 event on July 9, 2016 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Julianna Pena fights Cat Zigano in their women's bantamweight bout during the UFC 200 event on July 9, 2016 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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Julianna Pena fights Cat Zigano in their women's bantamweight bout during the UFC 200 event on July 9, 2016 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Julianna Pena fights Cat Zigano in their women's bantamweight bout during the UFC 200 event on July 9, 2016 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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Julianna Pena fights Cat Zigano in their women's bantamweight bout during the UFC 200 event on July 9, 2016 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Julianna Pena fights Cat Zigano in their women's bantamweight bout during the UFC 200 event on July 9, 2016 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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DENVER, CO - JANUARY 28: (L-R) Julianna Pena knees Valentina Shevchenko of Kyrgyzstan in their women's bantamweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at the Pepsi Center on January 28, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

DENVER, CO - JANUARY 28:  (L-R) Julianna Pena knees Valentina Shevchenko of Kyrgyzstan in their women's bantamweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at the Pepsi Center on January 28, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

“Ser mamá es lo mejor que me pasó. Mi hija es mi nueva motivación”

Julianna Peña

“Soy una pesadilla para esta división; nadie ha vencido rivales tan duras como yo. Mi plan siempre ha sido pelear por el cinturón” declaró Julianna, quien se ausentó de la jaula del 2017 al 2019 para dar a luz a su hija y regresó de manera sensacional ante la ex campeona Nicco Montaño.

En el Día Internacional de la Mujer, Julianna Peña levanta el brazo como la primera peleadora latina en adueñarse del TUF y en plantar la bandera de las peleadoras latinas como potencia sin techo en UFC.