Former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Julianna Peña is returning to competition, but her next appearance will take place on the wrestling mats rather than inside the Octagon.
Real American Freestyle (RAF) has announced that Peña will face former Bellator standout Diana Avsaragova at RAF Abu Dhabi on November 14. The event will take place at Etihad Arena, marking Peña’s return to combat sports after 17 months away from competition.
The announcement comes as Peña’s former rivals, Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes, prepare to clash at UFC 334 next month. Peña has not fought since losing her bantamweight title to Harrison at UFC 316 in June 2025.
Harrison submitted Peña in the second round to claim the championship, ending the Venezuelan’s latest title reign. Peña suffered multiple injuries during the fight and has remained on the sidelines while working toward a return.
Although Julianna Peña is coming back to competition through RAF, her next UFC appearance remains uncertain. The former champion has not fought in 2026 and will need to rebuild her momentum if she hopes to re-enter the bantamweight title picture.
Peña has remained involved with RAF as a color commentator since the promotion’s inception. Her upcoming matchup against Avsaragova will now give her an opportunity to compete rather than call the action.
Avsaragova, meanwhile, brings experience from Bellator and the PFL. During her five-fight Bellator run, she recorded victories over Alejandra Lara, Tara Graff and Gabriella Gulfin. She most recently suffered a technical fall defeat to RAF middleweight champion Kennedy Blades at RAF 13 in September.
Before losing to Harrison, Peña regained the UFC women’s bantamweight championship by defeating Raquel Pennington at UFC 307. She also made history at UFC 269 in December 2021, when she shocked the MMA world by submitting Nunes to capture the title.
Nunes avenged that defeat with a dominant victory in their rematch at UFC 277, setting up a rivalry that remains one of the defining storylines of the division.
Nunes will now return to the UFC against Harrison, who has not competed since winning the title because of neck surgery. Their upcoming fight could have significant implications for the bantamweight division, especially with Peña looking to work her way back into contention.
A potential UFC matchup against Ailin Perez could also be an option for Peña once she returns to MMA competition. Perez recently strengthened her position in the division with a victory over Norma Dumont, although the UFC has not announced a fight between her and Peña.
Meanwhile, RAF Abu Dhabi will feature several other notable matchups. The card includes a wrestling contest between two-time Olympic gold medalist Abdulrashid Sadulaev and Dauren Kurugliev, alongside a light heavyweight matchup between Osama Elsaidy and Murtaza Talha.
The event will also feature a cruiserweight contest between Zahid Valencia and Khidir Saipudinov, as well as a lightweight matchup between Hamza Kooheji and Ali AlQaisi.
For Peña, the RAF appearance offers a chance to return to competition after a lengthy absence. However, fans will still have to wait for confirmation of when the former UFC champion will make her long-awaited return to the Octagon.
