Yana Kunitskaya

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Yana Kunitskaya
Born (1989-11-11) November 11, 1989 (age 34)
Murmansk, Murmansk Oblast, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Other names Foxy
Nationality Russian
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Weight 135 lb (61 kg; 9.6 st)
Division Featherweight
Bantamweight
Reach 68.5 in (174 cm)[1]
Style Taekwondo, Muay Thai, ARB, Gaidojutsu
Fighting out of Saint Petersburg, Russia
Team Jackson Wink MMA Academy
Mixed martial arts record
Total 20
Wins 14
By knockout 7
By submission 1
By decision 6
Losses 5
By knockout 2
By submission 2
By decision 1
No contests 1
Other information
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

Yana Kunitskaya (born November 11, 1989) is a Russian mixed martial artist in the bantamweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As of February 22, 2021, she is #5 in the UFC women's bantamweight rankings.[3]

Biography

Yana Kunitskaya was born in 1989, in the city of Murmansk, Murmansk Oblast, in northwestern Russia. Her mother, Olga Kunitskaya, was a professional gymnast and her father, Joseph, was a professional skier. She has a younger sister, Victoria. Yana became involved in martial arts early in her childhood, starting with taekwondo at preschool age, and won numerous tournaments among both girls and boys, with many fights ending in knockouts.[4] At 12 years old, she began competing in hand-to-hand combat (Russian: рукопашный бой), participating in a large number of fights without suffering a defeat. When she was 16 years old, Kunitskaya went to live and study in St. Petersburg, and entered the SPGUFK[expand acronym] team at Lesgaft National State University of Physical Education, Sport and Health, Department of Boxing. At age 18, she started practicing mixed martial arts (MMA).

On August 9, 2012, Kunitskaya announced that she was pregnant with her first child.[5] In August 2013, she announced the end of her sports career and her transition to coaching, but she came out of retirement three years later.[6] She then signed a contract with the Invicta Fighting Championships (IFC or Invicta FC) in which only females compete.

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

Kunitskaya made her professional mixed-martial-arts debut on May 23, 2009, at a K-1 World Grand Prix event in Poland. She defeated Magdalena Jarecka by technical knockout (TKO) in the first round. After winning two of her next three fights, Kunitskaya faced unbeaten prospect Cindy Dandois at M-1 Challenge XXII on December 10, 2010. She defeated Dandois by TKO in 34 seconds.[7] On November 19, 2011, Kunitskaya faced Arune Lauzeckaite at Bushido Hero's: World Grand Prix Lithuania, winning by TKO in the first round.[8]

In 2012, Kunitskaya faced Ekaterina Saraykina at Verdict Fighting Championship 1 on February 11,[9] defeating Saraykina by TKO in the first round.[10] In March, she faced Anna Melikhova at Lion's Fights 1[11] and won by unanimous decision after two rounds.[12] She then defeated Sylwia Kusiak by TKO in round one at Baltic Arena in Koszalin, Poland, in June.[13] Kunitskaya was scheduled to face Danielle West at Starlight Events: Gladiator World Cup 2012 on July 6 in Marbella, Spain,[13] but the event was cancelled.[14]

Kunitskaya had fought almost exclusively in Russia,[15][16] and built her record to 9 wins and 2 losses before signing to Invicta FC.

Invicta Fighting Championships

Yana defeated Tonya Evinger for the Invicta FC Bantamweight title on November 18, 2016.[17][18] On December 1, the win was overturned to a no contest, so Evinger retained her title.[19] Kunitskaya faced Evinger in a rematch in the main event of Invicta FC 22 on March 25, 2017, and lost by submission in the second round.

Kunitskaya defeated Raquel Pa'aluhi at Invicta FC 25 on August 31, 2017, to win the vacant Invicta FC Bantamweight Championship.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Kunitskaya made her Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) promotional debut at UFC 222 on March 3, 2018, against Cris Cyborg for the featherweight title.[20] She lost the fight by TKO in the first round.[21]

Kunitskaya next faced Lina Länsberg on October 6, 2018, at UFC 229.[22] She won the fight via unanimous decision[23]

Kunitskaya then faced Marion Reneau on March 9, 2019, at UFC Fight Night 146.[24] She won the fight by unanimous decision.[25]

Kunitskaya faced Aspen Ladd on December 7, 2019 at UFC on ESPN 7.[26] She lost the fight via technical knockout in round three.[27]

Kunitskaya was scheduled to face Ketlen Vieira on August 1, 2020 at UFC Fight Night: Holm vs. Aldana.[28] and on July 15, 2020, it was announced that the bout was moved to UFC Fight Night 174 on August 8, 2020.[29] Subsequently, Vieira was removed from the card on July 30 for undisclosed reasons and replaced by Julija Stoliarenko.[30] She won the fight via unanimous decision.[31]

The bout with Ketlen Vieira was rescheduled and eventually took place on February 20, 2021 at UFC Fight Night 185.[32] At the weigh-ins, Vieira weighed in at 138 pounds, two pounds over the women's bantamweight non-title fight limit. She was fined 20% of her purse which went to Kunitskaya and the bout proceed at catchweight.[33][34] Kunitskaya won the fight via unanimous decision.[35]

Kunitskaya is scheduled to face Irene Aldana on July 10, 2021 at UFC 264.[36]

Personal life

Kunitskaya is in a relationship with fellow UFC athlete, Thiago Santos.[37] The pair got engaged in December, 2020.[38]

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts record

Res. Record Opponent Method Event Date Round Time Location Notes
Win 14–5 (1) Ketlen Vieira Decision (unanimous) UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. Lewis February 20, 2021 3 5:00 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Catchweight (138 lb) bout; Vieira missed weight.
Win 13–5 (1) Julija Stoliarenko Decision (unanimous) UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Oleinik August 8, 2020 3 5:00 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Loss 12–5 (1) Aspen Ladd TKO (punches) UFC on ESPN: Overeem vs. Rozenstruik December 7, 2019 3 0:33 Washington, D.C., United States
Win 12–4 (1) Marion Reneau Decision (unanimous) UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. dos Santos March 9, 2019 3 5:00 Wichita, Kansas, United States
Win 11–4 (1) Lina Länsberg Decision (unanimous) UFC 229 October 6, 2018 3 5:00 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Return to Bantamweight.
Loss 10–4 (1) Cris Cyborg TKO (punches) UFC 222 March 3, 2018 1 3:25 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States For the UFC Women's Featherweight Championship.
Win 10–3 (1) Raquel Pa'aluhi Decision (unanimous) Invicta FC 25: Kunitskaya vs. Pa'aluhi August 31, 2017 5 5:00 Lemoore, California, United States Won the vacant Invicta FC Bantamweight Championship. Performance of the Night.
Loss 9–3 (1) Tonya Evinger Submission (rear-naked choke) Invicta FC 22: Evinger vs. Kunitskaya II March 25, 2017 2 4:32 Kansas City, Missouri, United States For the Invicta FC Bantamweight Championship.
NC 9–2 (1) Tonya Evinger NC (overturned) Invicta FC 20: Evinger vs. Kunitskaya November 18, 2016 1 1:59 Kansas City, Missouri, United States For the Invicta FC Bantamweight Championship. Originally a submission (armbar) win for Kunitskaya; overturned after Evinger appealed the loss due to a controversial referee call. Performance of the Night.
Win 9–2 Wu Yanan TKO (punches) Fightspirit Championship 6 September 4, 2016 2 0:32 St. Petersburg, Russia Bantamweight debut.
Loss 8–2 Zaira Dyshekova Submission (armbar) ACB 32: Battle of Lions March 26, 2016 1 3:38 Moscow, Russia Catchweight (137 lb) bout. Performance of the Night.
Win 8–1 Sylwia Kusiak TKO (corner stoppage) Baltic Arena June 15, 2012 1 0:50 Koszalin, Poland
Win 7–1 Anna Melikhova Decision (unanimous) Lion's Fights 1: The Beginning March 3, 2012 2 5:00 Saint Petersburg, Russia Lightweight bout.
Win 6–1 Ekaterina Saraykina TKO (punches) Verdict Fighting Championship 1 February 11, 2012 1 1:05 Moscow, Russia Featherweight bout.
Win 5–1 Arune Lauzeckaite TKO (punches) Bushido Lithuania: Hero's Lithuania 2011 November 19, 2011 1 1:34 Vilnius, Lithuania
Win 4–1 Cindy Dandois TKO (punches) M-1 Challenge 22 December 10, 2010 1 0:34 Moscow, Russia Featherweight bout.
Win 3–1 Kamila Bałanda TKO (punches) Bushido Lithuania: Hero's Lithuania 2010 November 20, 2010 1 4:26 Vilnius, Lithuania
Loss 2–1 Maria Hougaard Djursaa Decision (unanimous) FG 14: Ice Cold May 29, 2010 3 5:00 Odense, Denmark
Win 2–0 Vladena Yavorskaya Submission (rear-naked choke) Bushido FC Legends November 28, 2009 1 3:20 Saint Petersburg, Russia Featherweight bout.
Win 1–0 Magdalena Jarecka TKO (punches) K-1 World Grand Prix 2009 May 23, 2009 1 1:38 Łódź, Poland

[39]

References

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External links

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