Julianna Peña Returns to Competition Against Diana Avsaragova at RAF Abu Dhabi as MMA Stars Embrace Wrestling

Julianna Peña is officially returning to competition, but her next appearance will not take place inside the UFC Octagon.

The former UFC women’s bantamweight champion has been booked to face Diana Avsaragova in a middleweight wrestling match at Real American Freestyle’s RAF Abu Dhabi event on November 14 at Etihad Arena. The promotion announced the matchup on October 12, adding another former UFC champion to a card featuring several prominent names from mixed martial arts and international wrestling.

The contest will mark Peña’s first competitive appearance since losing her bantamweight championship to Kayla Harrison at UFC 316 in June 2025. Since RAF launched, Peña has worked as a color commentator for the promotion. Her upcoming matchup represents a transition from analyzing wrestling competition to participating in it herself.

For RAF, the announcement continues a strategy of bringing established combat sports personalities into a professional wrestling environment, creating matchups that can appeal to MMA audiences while showcasing the technical demands of wrestling.

Julianna Peña Returns After Losing the UFC Championship

Peña enters the matchup with a résumé that includes two reigns as UFC women’s bantamweight champion and one of the most memorable championship upsets in modern women’s MMA.

Her defining career moment came at UFC 269 in December 2021, when she submitted Amanda Nunes to capture the bantamweight title. Nunes had entered the contest as the reigning champion and one of the sport’s most dominant fighters, making Peña’s victory a major upset.

Although Peña subsequently lost the championship in a rematch with Nunes, she returned to the title picture and captured a vacant bantamweight belt against Raquel Pennington at UFC 307 in October 2024. That victory made Peña a two-time UFC champion.

Her second reign ended against Harrison at UFC 316. Harrison, an accomplished Olympic gold medalist in judo who transitioned successfully into MMA, submitted Peña with a kimura in the second round.

The defeat left Peña without a scheduled MMA return for more than a year. Her move into RAF provides a different competitive opportunity, allowing her to continue participating in combat sports while testing herself in a discipline closely connected to her MMA success.

Peña does not have an extensive traditional high school or collegiate wrestling résumé. However, wrestling has been an important part of her mixed martial arts game, helping her dictate positioning, pursue takedowns, and build the pressure that contributed to her championship achievements.

Her RAF debut will reveal how those skills translate when striking and submissions are removed from the equation and the contest centers on wrestling technique.

Diana Avsaragova Brings Wrestling Experience to the Matchup

Standing across from Peña will be Avsaragova, a Russian fighter with professional experience in Bellator and the Professional Fighters League.

Avsaragova built her combat sports profile in MMA’s flyweight division and has a documented background in freestyle wrestling, including a bronze medal at the Russian national level.

That experience makes her a particularly interesting opponent for Peña. While both competitors have spent time in MMA, Avsaragova brings credentials from a wrestling background that extends beyond using takedowns as one component of a broader fighting strategy.

Avsaragova also has experience competing under RAF rules. At RAF 13 in September, she faced reigning middleweight champion Kennedy Blades and lost by technical fall.

The result provides a recent reference point for Avsaragova’s standing within the promotion. Her meeting with Peña now offers another opportunity to establish herself in a format that rewards sustained wrestling offense, positioning, and the ability to score against an opponent who cannot rely on striking to change the pace.

For Peña, the matchup represents a demanding introduction to competitive wrestling outside MMA. Her experience against elite fighters should help with composure and physical preparation, but the specialized nature of wrestling means her opponent’s background could be decisive.

RAF Abu Dhabi Signals International Ambitions

The November 14 event is significant beyond Peña’s individual return. RAF Abu Dhabi will be the promotion’s first show in the Middle East, taking place under a five-year partnership involving Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism and the UAE Wrestling Federation.

The partnership provides a foundation for RAF to expand into a region with a strong history of hosting major international combat sports events.

Etihad Arena will host the event, which is scheduled to feature a high-profile crossover contest between former UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev and former interim welterweight titleholder Colby Covington.

That matchup, alongside Peña’s appearance and other established combat sports names, illustrates RAF’s approach to making wrestling attractive to viewers who already follow MMA.

The concept also creates opportunities for athletes to compete outside their primary disciplines without necessarily committing to another professional MMA bout. Former fighters, active competitors, and specialists can bring their existing rivalries, fan bases, and competitive identities into a different ruleset.

Peña’s transition from commentator to competitor is an example of how the promotion can use existing relationships to create new matchups and stories.

Could RAF Eventually Feature a Matchup Involving Cris Cyborg?

As RAF continues to attract established combat sports athletes, its growing crossover format raises an interesting question: which other champions could eventually compete on the wrestling platform?

One potential name worth considering is Cris Cyborg, the longtime MMA champion who has also pursued professional boxing and built a career competing across multiple combat sports disciplines.

Cyborg is not currently announced for RAF, and there is no confirmed indication that she is negotiating a wrestling match. Nevertheless, a future appearance could be an intriguing possibility if the promotion continues exploring matchups involving accomplished champions from outside traditional wrestling.

The most natural route would be for RAF to develop a matchup connected to an existing storyline or a compelling contest between established combat sports personalities. Peña’s upcoming bout demonstrates how a former UFC champion can move into wrestling without requiring an immediate return to MMA.

If Peña defeats Avsaragova, the result could strengthen her profile within RAF and help establish her as a recognizable crossover competitor. Depending on the promotion’s future plans, a subsequent opponent could be selected for competitive credentials, name recognition, or the appeal of a fresh matchup.

A potential Cyborg appearance would require the right ruleset, weight considerations, and mutual interest. Her experience across MMA and boxing would make her a recognizable name for a crossover event, although success in those sports does not automatically translate into elite freestyle wrestling ability.

For now, the idea remains speculative rather than a reported matchup. Peña’s announced contest is the concrete development, and its reception could help demonstrate whether RAF’s crossover approach has room to expand further.

Peña’s RAF Debut Could Open Another Chapter

Peña’s November 14 matchup offers a new challenge for an athlete whose career has already included championship triumphs, major upsets, and high-profile defeats.

Avsaragova presents a legitimate wrestling test, with her national-level experience and recent RAF appearance providing useful context for the contest. Peña, meanwhile, brings the competitive toughness and name recognition of a former two-time UFC champion into a specialized discipline.

The broader significance lies in what RAF is building. By bringing MMA names onto wrestling cards and pairing them with established wrestling talent, the promotion is creating a format that can attract fans from both sports.

RAF Abu Dhabi will be an important step in that international expansion. Peña’s return against Avsaragova is one of the card’s notable stories, while the wider roster of crossover competitors points toward further opportunities for unusual matchups.

Whether that eventually includes other multi-sport champions remains to be seen. For now, Peña has a clear assignment: return to competition, adapt to wrestling rules, and prove that her grappling skills can stand on their own outside the Octagon.