| Luis Peña | |
| Other Names: | Violent Bob Ross |
| Birth Name: | Luis Antonio Peña |
| Birth Date: | 5 July 1993 |
| Birth Place: | Naples, Italy |
| Residence: | Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Nationality: | American |
| Weight Lb: | 161 |
| Weight Class: | Lightweight Featherweight |
| Reach: | 76 in |
| Fighting Out Of: | Coconut Creek, Florida, U.S. |
| Team: | American Top Team (2020–present)[1] American Kickboxing Academy (formerly) |
| Rank: | Blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu[2] under Rodrigo Vaghi |
| Years Active: | 2014–2024 |
| Mma Kowin: | 3 |
| Mma Subwin: | 5 |
| Mma Decwin: | 4 |
| Mma Subloss: | 3 |
| Mma Decloss: | 5 |
| Box Loss: | 2 |
| Box Koloss: | 1 |
| Box Draw: | 1 |
| Sherdog: | 174693 |
| Boxrec: | 799731 |
Luis Antonio Peña[3] (born July 5, 1993) is an American former professional mixed martial artist and boxer. A professional competitor since 2014, Peña competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), most notably being a contestant on season 27.[4]
Luis was born to parents in the Navy stationed in Naples, Italy, but was adopted at a young age by a Latino-American couple.[5] He grew up beginning his wrestling career at Little Rock Central High School, becoming a well-known wrestler and claiming the state championship in the process.
Peña took his first amateur mixed martial arts fight on August 9, 2014. He fought Darian Bradshaw, and won the fight via submission in the second round.[6] Peña finished his amateur career with a record of 15–2. He made his professional debut in 2016, against Chris Petty. He won via knockout.[7]
Peña competed for Team Cormier on .[8] He fought Jose Martinez Jr. on the third episode of the show, and won the fight via decision.[9] Peña's run on the show was cut short, after suffering a foot injury during his quarterfinal fight.[10] He was unable to fight for the rest of the show, but was guaranteed a spot on The Ultimate Fighter 27 Finale card by UFC president Dana White.[11]
Peña made his UFC debut on July 16, 2018, at The Ultimate Fighter 27 Finale against Richie Smullen.[12] He won the fight via a submission in round one.[13]
On November 10, 2018, Peña faced Michael Trizano at .[14] He lost the fight via split decision.[15]
Peña faced Steven Peterson on March 23, 2019, at UFC Fight Night 148.[16] At the weigh-ins, Luis Peña weighed in at 148.5 lbs, 2.5 pounds over the featherweight non-title fight limit of 146 lbs. Peña was fined 30% of his fight purse and the bout proceeded at catchweight.[17] He won the fight via unanimous decision.[18]
Peña faced Matt Wiman on June 22, 2019, at UFC on ESPN+ 12.[19] He won the fight via technical knockout in round three.[20]
Peña faced Matt Frevola on October 12, 2019, at UFC on ESPN+ 19.[21] He lost the fight via split decision.[22]
Peña was scheduled to face Alex Muñoz on February 29, 2020, at UFC Fight Night 169.[23] However, on February 23, 2020, it was announced that Muñoz was pulled from the card due to injury,[24] and he was replaced by Steve Garcia.[25] He won the fight via unanimous decision.[26]
Peña faced Khama Worthy on June 27, 2020, at .[27] He lost the fight via a guillotine choke in round three.[28] Peña was suspended four and a half months and fined 15% of his purse by the Nevada State Athletic Commission on September 3, 2020, after he tested positive for marijuana. The suspension was cut from the usual six months due to him taking the fight against Worthy on short notice: marijuana is only considered illegal by USADA during the competition window for fights. It is retroactive to June 17, 2020, and he will be eligible to compete again on November 2, 2020.[29]
Peña was scheduled to face Drakkar Klose, replacing Jai Herbert, on February 20, 2021, at UFC Fight Night 185.[30] However, the bout was canceled after Klose's corner tested positive for COVID-19.[31]
Peña faced Alexander Munoz on April 17, 2021, at UFC on ESPN 22.[32] He won the fight via split decision, with 11 out of 16 media scores giving it to Munoz.[33] [34]
Following his October arrest, the UFC announced that Peña had been released from the UFC.[35]
Peña announced that he had signed with ACA and would be competing in the ACA Lightweight Grand Prix, with his first bout being against Eduard Vartanyan at ACA 139 on May 21, 2022.[36] Pena would pull out of the bout due to having trouble securing a visa.[37]
Peña was instead booked against Zach Zane in a 160 lb catchweight bout as the main event of Titan FC 76 on May 6, 2022.[38] He won the bout via triangle choke under a minute into the first round.[39]
Peña faced Gustavo Wurlitzer on June 3, 2022, at Titan FC 77. He won the bout at the end of the first round via TKO.[40]
Peña faced Will Brooks at XMMA 5 on July 23, 2022.[41] He lost the bout via unanimous decision.[42]
Peña faced Michael Dufort at Aries Fight Series 16 on April 22, 2023. He lost the bout via submission in the first round.[43]
Pena next fought Dedrek Sanders at Aries Fight Series 25 on April 6, 2024.[44] He would snap his three fight losing streak beating Sanders via unanimous decision.[45]
Pena next fought John Simon at Cage Titans 67 on September 14, 2024. He would lose the fight via unanimous decision. [46]
Pena's next bout was against Zach DiSabatino at Cage Titans less than 2 months later on November 9, 2024. He would lose the fight via submission to an inverted triangle choke late in the third round. After the fight, Pena laid his gloves down in the middle of the cage, thus announcing his retirement and an end to his mixed martial arts career. [47]
Peña faced Vaughn Alexander on May 12, 2017, he lost the bout via TKO in the third round.[48]
Peña faced Jarvis Williams on June 17, 2017, he lost the bout via Unanimous decision.[49]
Peña faced Erasmo Garcia on November 18, 2017, the bout was deemed a Majority draw after two of the three judges scored the bout 57-57.[50]
Peña faced Morgan Griggie on May 18, 2022, he lost the bout via Majority decision.[51]
Peña faced James Rodriguez on April 29, 2023, he lost the bout via Majority decision.[52]
On June 18, 2021, Peña was arrested in Florida on charges of strong-arm robbery, battery, and criminal mischief for an incident that allegedly took place on June 14, 2021.[53] In early August 2021 news surfaced that Peña's charges had been downgraded to misdemeanor charges of simple battery and criminal mischief. He was, however, charged with another misdemeanor battery stemming from an incident that allegedly happened on May 22, 2021. However, his ex-girlfriend decided not to press charges.[54]
On October 9, 2021, Peña was arrested by Florida police officers for domestic battery after he allegedly struck and bit his girlfriend. Peña also allegedly struck another woman who witnessed the assault when she tried to intervene.[55] [56] On June 10, 2022, Peña pleaded not guilty to the charges via a written plea; court date to be determined.[57] In July 2023, Peña announced on his social media that the case was completely dismissed by the court.[58]
On November 24, 2021, Peña was arrested in Broward County, Florida on four misdemeanor charges including battery, criminal mischief, battery causing bodily harm, and domestic battery. He was booked into the Rein Detention Center in Pompano Beach, Florida.[59] [60] In June 2022, it was revealed that the case was disposed without further information.
|-|Loss|align=center|12–8|Zach DiSabatino|Submission (inverted triangle choke)|Cage Titans 68||align=center|3|align=center|4:04|Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States ||-|Loss|align=center|12–7|John Simon|Decision (unanimous)|Cage Titans 67||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States||-|Win|align=center|12–6|Dedrek Sanders|Decision (unanimous)|Aries Fight Series 25||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Knoxville, Tennessee, United States||-|Loss|align=center|11–6|Michael Dufort|Submission (guillotine choke)|Aries Fight Series 16||align=center|1|align=center|1:27|Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States||-|Loss|align=center|11–5|LT Nelson|Decision (unanimous)|Sparta 95||align=center|5|align=center|5:00|Aurora, Colorado, United States||-|Loss|align=center|11–4|Will Brooks|Decision (split)|XMMA 5||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Columbia, South Carolina, United States||-|Win|align=center|11–3|Gustavo Wurlitzer|TKO (punches)|Titan FC 77||align=center|1|align=center|4:44|Miramar, Florida, United States||-|Win|align=center|10–3|Zach Zane |Submission (triangle choke)|Titan FC 76||align=center|1|align=center|0:59|Miramar, Florida, United States||-|Win|align=center|9–3|Alexander Muñoz |Decision (split)|||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States||-|Loss|align=center|8–3|Khama Worthy|Submission (guillotine choke)|||align=center|3|align=center|2:53|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States||-|Win|align=center|8–2|Steve Garcia|Decision (unanimous)| ||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Norfolk, Virginia, United States||-|Loss|align=center|7–2|Matt Frevola|Decision (split)| ||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Tampa, Florida, United States||-|Win|align=center|7–1|Matt Wiman|TKO (punches)| ||align=center|3|align=center|1:14|Greenville, South Carolina, United States||-|Win|align=center|6–1|Steven Peterson|Decision (unanimous) | ||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Nashville, Tennessee, United States||-|Loss|align=center|5–1|Michael Trizano|Decision (split)|||align=center|3|align=center|5:00| Denver, Colorado, United States||-|Win|align=center|5–0|Richie Smullen|Submission (guillotine choke)|The Ultimate Fighter: Undefeated Finale||align=center|1|align=center|3:32| Las Vegas, Nevada, United States||- | Win| align=center| 4–0| Kobe Wall| Submission (kimura)| Worlds Collide| | align=center| 3| align=center| 1:40| Rome, Georgia, United States| |-| Win| align=center| 3–0| Damir Ferhatbegovic| Submission (rear-naked choke)| Valor Fights 41: Cala vs Wright| | align=center| 2| align=center| 4:47| Elizabethton, Tennessee United States||-| Win| align=center| 2–0| Brandon Schehl| Submission (rear-naked choke)| Shamrock FC 279| | align=center| 2| align=center| 3:40| Kansas City, Missouri, United States||-| Win| align=center| 1–0| Chris Petty| KO (punch)| Fight Hard MMA| | align=center| 1| align=center| 4:22| St. Charles, Missouri, United States||-[61]
|-|Win|align=center|1–0| Jose Martinez Jr.| Decision (unanimous)| | (airdate)|align=center|2|align=center|5:00|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States|
| Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Loss | 0–4–1 |  James Rodriguez | 6 | 29 Apr 2023 | | |||
| 4 | Loss | 0–3–1 | Morgan Griggie | 6 | 18 May 2022 | | |||
| 3 | Draw | 0–2–1 |  Erasmo Garcia | 6 | 17 Nov 2017 | | |||
| 2 | Loss | 0–2 | Jarvis Williams | 6 | 17 Jun 2017 | | |||
| 1 | Loss | 0–1 | Vaughn Alexander | 3 (4) | 12 May 2017 | |