Tecia Pennington facts for kids

Tecia Pennington (born Tecia Lyn Torres Moncaio on August 16, 1989) is an American mixed martial artist, also known by her nickname "The Tiny Tornado." She competes in the Strawweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The strawweight class is for fighters who weigh 115 pounds or less. As of mid-2025, she is ranked among the top fighters in her division.

Early Life and Education

Pennington was born in Fall River, Massachusetts. When she was five, she moved to Coral Springs, Florida, with her mother, older sister, and younger brother. She started training in martial arts when she was only three years old. She began with taekwondo and earned her black belt after 12 years of practice. She also competed in amateur muay thai, a type of kickboxing, winning 16 of her 20 fights.

Pennington is also a dedicated student. In 2010, she graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a Bachelor of Arts degree. She studied both Criminal Justice and Sociology. In 2017, she earned a master's degree in Criminology from the same university.

Her family background is a mix of Puerto Rican, Portuguese, and Irish heritage.

Mixed Martial Arts Career

Starting as a Professional

Pennington began her amateur (unpaid) mixed martial arts (MMA) career in 2011. She was undefeated, winning all seven of her fights and three different amateur championships.

In 2012, she became a professional fighter and joined Invicta Fighting Championships, an organization for female MMA fighters. She won all four of her fights in Invicta FC, defeating skilled opponents like Paige VanZant, Rose Namajunas, and Felice Herrig. All of these wins were by unanimous decision, which means all three judges agreed she won the fight.

Joining the UFC

In 2013, the UFC created a new strawweight division for women and signed Pennington. She was a contestant on the reality TV show The Ultimate Fighter. The show was a tournament to decide the first-ever UFC strawweight champion. Although she did not win the tournament, her performance earned her a spot in the UFC.

Pennington made her official UFC debut on December 12, 2014. She fought Angela Magaña and won by a dominant unanimous decision. She continued her winning streak with victories over Angela Hill and Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger.

Key Fights and Achievements

Over the years, Pennington has faced many of the best fighters in the world. She has had rematches with Rose Namajunas and Bec Rawlings.

One of her most impressive wins was against Juliana Lima in 2017. She won by submission in the second round, which was the first time she had won a professional fight by making her opponent tap out. This victory earned her a Performance of the Night bonus award.

After a series of tough losses between 2018 and 2019, Pennington came back strong. She won three fights in a row, including a rematch against Angela Hill in 2021. In 2024 and 2025, she had important victories against former champion Carla Esparza and Luana Pinheiro.

Fighting Style

Pennington is known for her fast and energetic fighting style, which is why she is called "The Tiny Tornado." She uses constant movement and combines skills from taekwondo and karate. She is famous for her powerful kicks. While she usually wins fights by out-striking her opponents, she also has strong defense against submission holds.

Personal Life

Pennington is married to Raquel Pennington, who is also a famous UFC fighter. They welcomed a baby daughter in June 2023. Pennington has spoken about the importance of taking care of one's mental health. She leads a very healthy lifestyle and encourages others to do the same.

Championships and Accomplishments

Mixed martial arts

• Ultimate Fighting Championship
  • Performance of the Night (One time) vs. Juliana Lima
  • Second most wins in the UFC Women's Strawweight division history (11) (behind Angela Hill)
  • Tied (Karolina Kowalkiewicz & Randa Markos) for second most bouts in UFC Women's Strawweight division history (18)
• MMA Solutions Global
  • MMA Solutions amateur strawweight title (one time)
• US Freedom Fighter Championship
  • USFFC amateur strawweight title (one time)
• American Battle Championships
  • ABC amateur strawweight title (one time)
• Women's MMA Awards
  • 2013 Strawweight of the Year
• AwakeningFighters.com WMMA Awards
  • 2013 Strawweight of the Year
  • 2013 Newcomer of the Year
• Bleacher Report
  • 2013 WMMA Fight of the Year vs. Rose Namajunas on July 13

Mixed martial arts record

See also

In Spanish: Tecia Pennington para niños

• List of current UFC fighters
• List of female mixed martial artists