UFC news 2024: Inside Pennington’s horror week that threatened to derail title shot

UFC champion Raquel Pennington almost called off her title fight just hours before the bout after enduring a week from hell where her bags were lost, planes delayed and had a mystery illness where she could hardly breathe.

Raquel Pennington overcame the odds to win the bantamweight title in January. Picture: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Raquel Pennington nearly didn’t make it to her UFC 297 bantamweight title fight in Toronto in January.

The veteran fighter had endured a horror fight week, starting with a delayed flight and lost luggage, forcing her to wear borrowed clothes for a couple of days.

Then there were problems with her hotel room in Toronto, where temperatures hovered around the -10 degree mark all week.

By fight day, she’d picked up a mystery illness, could hardly breathe and was in agony.

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“I woke up fight day and was spitting up all kinds of mucus,” she tells this masthead. “I couldn’t breathe – I felt like I had razor blades in the back of my throat.

“Tecia (Pennington’s wife, fellow fighter Tecia Torres) started crying and told my coaches, who brought up my sports psychologist.”

There were very real discussions about having to pull out.

“I went on the treadmill, but there’s a difference between not feeling well and trying to sweat it out, as opposed to just wanting to curl up in a ball,” she said. “I wanted to just curl up in a ball.

“We talked about trying to push the fight back, but this was my second time fighting for the title, and you never know what’s going to happen – it would’ve been risky.”

Pennington (R) lands one on Mayra Bueno Silva’s nose. Picture: Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images

Thoughts of her and Torres’ daughter, Alayah, and the big block of land she wanted to buy in Colorado got her through.

“In the end, we felt like I could go out and, even at 40% I could win,” she says. “I just went out there, got it in my mind, got the thing done and conquered the ultimate goal.

“But, so many thoughts about pulling out crossed my mind.”

The fight was hardly a classic, but Pennington eased to a unanimous decision victory to become the world champion.

After a decade in the UFC and one failed title challenge, it was the highlight of her career and a fitting reward for one of the pioneers of women’s MMA.

“I’ve been around since the very beginning,” she says. “When I first started this sport, it was hard just to find competition as a female fighter.

Pennington celebrates her title win with daughter Alayah. Picture: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

“I remember telling people I wanted to be one of the first females in the UFC and people literally laughed in my face.

“So I’ve been the underdog my entire career.

“I’ve been able to change my life and my family’s life. I’ve got a little girl now, and just being able to show her, and have her on this journey and seeing everything that this hard work has gotten us, I’m just proud.

“I’m a Colorado girl and I’ve always dreamed of owning land, and now I’ve got my own property – I’ve purchased my mountain. I’m just really proud.”

Pennington says Julianna Pena has a "Master's in yapology." Picture: Getty Images

This weekend – without flight delays, lost luggage or illness – Pennington makes her first title defence against longtime rival Julianna Peña.

The pair have a bitter rivalry dating back to their time in the Ultimate Fighter house more than a decade ago.

And Pennington doesn’t just want to defend her 135-pound title.

She wants to shut Pena up for good.

“We lived together in the house and she was not very well liked,” she says. “She has a master’s degree in yapology and needless to say I’m excited to finally punch her in the face.”

Originally published as UFC news 2024: Inside Pennington’s horror week that threatened to derail title shot