Luis Pena

Luis Antonio Pena, born in Naples, Italy and adopted by a Latino-American family, grew up in Arkansas as a wrestler, claiming the state championship at Little Rock Central High School. He turned professional MMA in 2016 and built a strong record before earning a spot on The Ultimate Fighter: Undefeated season 27, competing on Team Cormier. Although a foot injury cut his TUF run short, UFC president Dana White guaranteed him a card spot, and Pena made his UFC debut in July 2018 with a first-round guillotine choke submission of Richie Smullen at the TUF 27 Finale.

During his three-year UFC tenure from 2018 to 2021, Pena compiled a 5-3 record as a lightweight, establishing himself as a submissions-based grappler. Standing 6-foot-3 with a 75-inch reach, he leveraged his length and wrestling background to control fights on the ground. His signature wins came via unanimous decision over Steven Peterson (despite missing weight), a third-round TKO over Matt Wiman, and a split decision victory over Alexander Munoz in his final UFC bout in April 2021. He also suffered notable losses to Matt Frevola and Khama Worthy, the latter a shocking third-round guillotine submission on short notice in 2020. That fight led to a marijuana suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission, though it was reduced from the usual six months due to short-notice circumstances.

Following his UFC release in late 2021, Pena has fought extensively in regional promotions including Titan FC, Aries Fight Series, and Cage Titans, as well as competing in kickboxing and bareknuckle MMA. His career has been marked by inconsistency and notable weight miss issues early in his UFC run. Despite dropping out of the major promotional spotlight, he remains active across combat sports, most recently securing a 2026 bareknuckle victory over Carlos Alexandre. Pena's 12-8 professional record and versatility across disciplines reflect a fighter trying to sustain a career in combat sports outside the UFC mainstream.