LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 07: (L-R) Opponents Tecia Pennington and Denise Gomes of Brazil face off during the UFC Fight Night weigh-in at UFC APEX on November 07, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Eleven years separated Denise Gomes and Tecia Pennington, a pair of ranked strawweights facing off as part of Saturday’s UFC Vegas 111 preliminary card.
Known for her speed, “The Tiny Tornado” Pennington was ranked #13 in the division, while Gomes sat at #15 with an eye on moving up.
Early in the fight, an exchange and a trip led to Pennington slipping to her back, though Gomes failed to get on top. Gomes fired a spinning back kick, high and wide and almost in slow motion. Pennington answered with a hook kick that was also off-target. A left hand was there for Gomes, however, as was a trip. Pennington popped right back up, where the fight played out in small bursts of activity.
Gomes pressed forward early in round two, firing overhand punches and mixing in leg kicks. Pennington responded with her own kick and found the mark with her left hand. Gomes continued to lead, however, dating in-and-out, nowhere to be found by Pennington’s counters as she faded back after each engagement. Pennington stayed upright the entire round in the second, with the pace slowing a bit as the back half of the frame wore on. A late clinch didn’t change much. and Gomes appeared to have a slight edge in the bout after ten full minutes.
An early clinch slowed the action in round three, but when they did go down, it was Pennington briefly on top. Briefly, as she was soon reversed, dashing any hope of a comeback there. Pennington did work back to her feet, only to get taken back down, left taken out from under her. Gones was able to get the back, hooks in, but Pennnington once again managed to climb to her feet.
As impressive as her ability to get back up was, Tecia Pennington was falling behind, playing defense in a round she needed to win, if not to finish in. When they went down again, it was Gomes again turning the tables, getting on top and landing a bit of ground n’ pound. A finish was never close, but Denise Gomes was in cruise control, on her way to a unanimous decision win that was never really in doubt.
That’s four straight wins for Gomes, who earned her black belt in the win. Pennington sees her two-fight win streak snapped meanwhile.
Official Result: Denise Gomes def. Tecia Pennington by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
