Raquel Pennington defeated Mayra Bueno Silva via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-45), at UFC 297 on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, live from Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Canada
"I don't know it feels surreal... It's been a long five years getting back to this. I expected to come out here and do a lot more but Mayra was tough. I didn't care if it wasn't pretty... I thought it was going to be Julianna (Pena) next. So Julianna, get your ass better. I've been waiting 10 years for that fight," said Pennington in her post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier. Pennington was booed throughout the interview.
Fighters took to social media to express their thoughts following Pennington capturing the bantamweight title.
MMA Twitter left with a bad taste in their mouth over Raquel Pennington vs. Mayra Buneo Silva
This is not great.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) January 21, 2024
This has been on of the most boring women's championship fights I've ever watched just give Raquel the belt already!#UFC297 pic.twitter.com/f7AGhXmd5j
— Njabulo🇿🇦 (@SomeNjabulo) January 21, 2024
Raquel Pennington could fight Justin Gaethje and somehow make that shit boring 😂#UFC297
— Andre Eazy 🍀🇭🇹 (@TheMacNameDre) January 21, 2024
I feel for Raquel Pennington cause she was trying to make this entertain Bueno Silva made this shit boring as hell
— Cameron Master (@CamMaster_) January 21, 2024
I’m tired of this catering to this vets shit. Raquel Pennington is shit & boring. That fight was awful. Embarrassing that was a title fight
— M y u - . / |swe::/-e—/t./—s♡ (@KimuraLockhart) January 21, 2024
Y’all better pray to god Mayra Bueno Silva wins. You do not want 3 championship snoozer decisions a year from Raquel Pennington. #UFC297
— Fury’s Fight Picks (@LucaFury) January 21, 2024
I miss Amanda Nunes’s championship fights 🙄@Amanda_Leoa
— Diana Belbiță (@DianaBelbita) January 21, 2024
#UFC297