UFC strawweight contender Tecia Pennington overcame significant personal challenges leading into her bout in the Octagon at UFC Vegas 106 on Saturday night.
Tecia Pennington earned a crucial victory in this stage of her career by defeating Luana Pinheiro to open the event. However, Pennington was not entirely satisfied with the win and passionately requested a championship opportunity from the UFC matchmakers.
The 35-year-old Pennington has experienced many highs and lows throughout her UFC journey, dating back to her participation in *The Ultimate Fighter 20* competition for a spot in the promotion. After securing a contract, Pennington has faced some of the top strawweights in UFC history, including former champions Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Jessica Andrade, and current champion Zhang Weili.
Nevertheless, Pennington`s recent win over Pinheiro may be one of the most important of her career, considering the personal struggles she has faced outside the cage recently.
Tecia Pennington expresses deep emotion after UFC Vegas 106 victory
In addition to becoming a mother, Pennington dealt with the loss of several immediate family members in the months leading up to UFC Vegas 106. Following her victory over another top 15 contender, Pennington voiced her desire for a chance to compete for a championship before concluding her fighting career.
During her post-fight press conference at UFC Vegas 106, Pennington made a heartfelt plea to the UFC matchmakers for an opportunity to advance towards a potential title shot.
“I want to finish my career with significant wins; I aim to be among the best in the world… back in the Top 5,” Pennington stated. “I now possess that `momma strength` and determination, and I fight with even more passion. I don’t know if anyone watching knows, but I lost my Dad just three months ago.”
“I pushed hard to get a fight because I desperately needed something to motivate me. It’s incredibly difficult to stay motivated after 11 years in the sport… but when I have a fight scheduled, I find that motivation. I’m committed to the gym, training intensely, even missing time with my daughter…”
“But I also genuinely love this sport… my body, my arms and legs, are still capable. I feel stronger than ever before. I simply have more reasons to fight now – I fight for myself, in honor of my Dad, and for both of my grandmothers… I am a very emotional and generally kind person, but not when I’m inside the Octagon.”
Pennington previously defeated Carla Esparza at UFC 307, ending a two-fight losing streak for Pennington. Esparza subsequently announced her retirement from MMA after a long career. Before her win over Esparza, Pennington had alternated victories and defeats, securing wins against opponents like Angela Hill and Michelle Waterson-Gomez.
UFC Vegas 106 experienced a sudden change due to ‘herpes’ diagnosis
After Pennington’s opening bout on the UFC Vegas 106 card, the rest of the event delivered exciting action, despite a last-minute change at the top. UFC light heavyweight Rodolfo Bellato was withdrawn from his planned fight against Paul Craig for an unusual medical reason.
The bout between Bellato and Craig is reportedly expected to be rescheduled for a future event. As of the time of this report, Craig has not made any public comments regarding Bellato’s withdrawal on short notice.
Bellato’s co-main event match with Craig was canceled just minutes before it was scheduled to happen, a fact announced during the UFC Vegas 106 broadcast. Amidst widespread confusion regarding the cancellation, Bellato later disclosed that a ‘herpes’ diagnosis prevented him from competing at UFC Vegas 106.
