Raquel Pennington Fires Back at Criticism, Defends Existence of Division

31 January 2024

In a recent turn of events, newly crowned women's bantamweight champion Raquel Pennington didn't hold back in responding to ESPN analyst Ryan Clark's suggestion that the UFC should consider shutting down the women's bantamweight division due to a perceived lackluster title fight.

Clark had voiced his criticism regarding the quality of Pennington's title bout against Mayra Bueno Silva. However, Pennington, appearing on Unlocking The Cage, took exception to Clark's comments and expressed her viewpoint that he, being a former Super Bowl winner, lacks the understanding of what it's truly like to step into the octagon and fight. Pennington stated:

"I'm not here to meet [people's] expectations or live up to that. I'm here for me, conquering goals, and achieving things for myself... People can criticize, but many wouldn't even step into our shoes for ten seconds. They have no clue what it's like. For everyone else just wanting to talk, keep sitting on your couch and talking and criticizing because, again, you're not living in our shoes."

Pennington's co-main event against Bueno Silva faced heavy criticism on social media, prompting speculation about the excitement level of her next reported bout against Julianna Pena. Fans are eagerly awaiting to see if Pennington's upcoming fight will address the concerns raised about the division's competitiveness and provide a more thrilling spectacle for the audience.