UFC on ESPN 22 winner Jessica Penne details 'heartbreaking' struggles during four-year layoff

LAS VEGAS – Jessica Penne’s road to UFC on ESPN 22 was a long one.

The former UFC strawweight title challenger had to overcome a lot of adversity to get to Saturday night’s event at the UFC Apex. Penne (13-5 MMA, 2-3 UFC) defeated UFC newcomer and former LFA champion Lupita Godinez on the preliminary card. She won the fight via split decision.

And although it was tough and evenly contested, that was not the hardest part of the fight, which marked Penne’s return to MMA competition. Penne spent four years away from the cage. An injury and two suspensions from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency kept her away from the octagon.

The last USADA suspension was a four-year ban but later reduced to 20 months. Penne thought she might never fight again prior to the reduction. The 38-year-old admits she hasn’t had it easy in the last few years.

“Yeah, I felt that I may never fight again, and that was heartbreaking and painful,” Penne told reporters following UFC on ESPN 22. “The hardest thing of being away was it not being my choice. It was really having to accept and relinquish control of the situation and really accept that I may never get to compete again.

“I may never get to corner someone again. I may never be able to be a part of the sport again, and that was really heartbreaking. I love this sport. This sport has changed my life, and I always saw myself competing and getting back to it in whatever way I could. So it was just very heartbreaking for a time, but in accepting that I may not be a part of this sport anymore, it was in the end very freeing. It allowed me to comeback to myself and really appreciate the sport.”

On a three-fight losing streak and with four years of inactivity, Penne felt a lot of pressure. Penne looks at the decision win over Godinez as a significant moment of her career, and she’s glad she can now move on.

“It was a lot this week,” Penne said. “I questioned myself as anyone does when they go out and do something they really care about, but this one was very special. I put a lot of pressure on myself, so I’m just glad to put it behind me.”