Julianna Peña stopped Amanda Nunes by submission with a rear naked choke in the second round at UFC 269 on Saturday night, claiming the bantamweight title from the long-reigning two-division champion in one of the biggest upsets in recent UFC history.
Peña (11-4) was a 10-1 underdog against the vaunted Nunes, widely considered the greatest fighter in the history of women’s mixed martial arts. Nunes had won 12 consecutive fights since 2014 and reigned simultaneously atop the 135-pound bantamweight and 145-pound featherweight divisions for three years.
After Nunes largely dominated the first round with two knockdowns and superior striking, Peña shockingly hurt Nunes with punches in a slugfest start to the second round. Peña then got Nunes to the ground, got her back and forced the champion to tap out with a choke around her neck with 1:38 left.
