# DeAnna Bennett

DeAnna Danielle Bennett (born November 18, 1984) is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Flyweight division. A professional since 2012, she has previously competed for Bellator MMA, Invicta Fighting Championships, and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

## Background

Bennett wrestled and played water polo for American High School before graduating in 2002. Bennett briefly attended an art college, but dropped out. She credits her "being a fat kid" for motivating her to join a kickboxing gym to stay in shape, and eventually competing in Muay Thai kickboxing.

## Mixed martial arts career
### Early career

After a short amateur MMA career in 2011, Bennett made her professional MMA debut in February 2012 for Showdown Fights. She competed for the promotion four times over the next two years, winning all of her bouts. Notably beating stand outs Sharon Jacobson, Colleen Schneider and Julianna Peña respectively.

### Invicta FC

Bennett made her Invicta FC debut on September 6, 2014, at Invicta FC 8, where she defeated Michelle Ould by TKO in the second round.
In her second fight for the promotion, Bennett faced Jennifer Maia on December 5, 2014, at Invicta FC 10. She won the fight by unanimous decision.
Bennett next faced Norma Rueda Center on February 27, 2015, at Invicta FC 11. She again won the fight by unanimous decision.

### The Ultimate Fighter

In August 2017, it was announced that Bennett would be one of the fighters featured on The Ultimate Fighter 26, where the process to crown the UFC's inaugural 125-pound women's champion will take place. Bennett was selected seventh by coach Eddie Alvarez. She faced Karine Gevorgyan in the opening round and won via TKO in the first round. In the quarter-finals Bennett faced Sijara Eubanks losing via first round knockout.

### Ultimate Fighting Championship

Bennett faced Melinda Fábián on December 1, 2017 at The Ultimate Fighter: A New World Champion#The Ultimate Fighter 26 Finale. The fight ended as a majority draw and Bennett was subsequently released from the promotion.

### Return to Invicta

Bennett returned to Invicta to face Karina Rodríguez on March 24, 2018 at Invicta FC 28: Morandin vs. Jandiroba. She won the fight by split decision. Bennett then entered a flyweight tournament where she defeated Miranda Maverick by unanimous decision but lost in the final in a rematch against Karina Rodriguez.

### Bellator

Bennett made her promotional debut against Liz Carmouche at Bellator 246 on September 12, 2020. She lost the bout via a rear-naked choke submission in the third round.
Bennett was scheduled to face Alejandra Lara on July 31, 2021 at Bellator 263. The bout was rescheduled for unknown reasons to take place on August 20, 2021 at Bellator 265. On August 13, it was announced that the bout was moved once again, this time to Bellator 266. At the weigh-ins, Bennett missed weight for her bout. Bennett weighed in at 129.2 pounds, 3.2 pounds over the flyweight non-title fight limit. The bout proceeded at catchweight and Bennett was fined a percentage of her purse which went to Lara. Bennett won the bout in dominant fashion via unanimous decision.
Bennett faced Justine Kish on February 19, 2022 at Bellator 274. She won the bout in dominant fashion via unanimous decision.
Bennett rematched Justine Kish on August 12, 2022 at Bellator 284. At weigh ins, Kish came in at 128.4 lbs, 2.4 pounds over the weight limit, for the flyweight bout, resulting in her being a fined a percentage of her purse which went to Bennett and the bout proceeded at catchweight. Bennett won the bout again via unanimous decision.
Bennett faced Liz Carmouche in a rematch for the Bellator Women's Flyweight World Championship on April 21, 2023 at Bellator 294. At the weigh-ins, Bennett weighed in at 126.2 pounds, 1.2 pounds over the title flyweight fight limit. The bout proceeded at catchweight with Bennett being fined 30% of her purse, which went to Carmouche. Carmouche also chose to keep the title on the line, meaning if she lost the fight, the title would have become vacant. She lost the fight by an arm-triangle choke submission in the fourth round.

## Professional grappling career

Bennett was booked to compete against Marissa Pacelli at Fury Pro Grappling 7 on May 27, 2023. She lost the match by unanimous decision.

## Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown :
| 24 matches | 14 wins | 9 losses |
| By knockout | 2 | 1 |
| By submission | 2 | 4 |
| By decision | 10 | 4 |
| Draws | 1 | 1 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
| Win | 14–9–1 | Liz Tracy | Decision (unanimous) | Invicta FC 57 | September 20, 2024 | 3 | 5:00 | Kansas City, Kansas, United States | |
| Loss | 13–9–1 | Viviane Pereira | Submission (guillotine choke) | XFC: Detroit Grand Prix 2 | May 31, 2024 | 1 | 1:50 | Detroit, Michigan, United States | |
| Loss | 13–8–1 | Liz Carmouche | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | Bellator 294 | April 21, 2023 | 4 | 4:29 | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | For the Bellator Women's Flyweight World Championship. Bennett missed weight (126.2 lb) and was ineligible to win the title. |
| Win | 13–7–1 | Justine Kish | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 284 | August 12, 2022 | 3 | 5:00 | Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States | Catchweight (128.4 lb) bout; Kish missed weight. |
| Win | 12–7–1 | Justine Kish | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 274 | February 19, 2022 | 3 | 5:00 | Uncasville, Connecticut, United States | |
| Win | 11–7–1 | Alejandra Lara | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 266 | September 18, 2021 | 3 | 5:00 | San Jose, California, United States | Catchweight (129.2 lb) bout; Bennett missed weight. |
| Loss | 10–7–1 | Liz Carmouche | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Bellator 246 | September 12, 2020 | 3 | 3:17 | Uncasville, Connecticut, United States | Catchweight (131.7 lb) bout; Bennett missed weight. |
| Loss | 10–6–1 | Miranda Maverick | Submission (neck crank) | Invicta FC Phoenix Series 2 | September 6, 2019 | 3 | 3:38 | Kansas City, Kansas, United States | Invicta FC Flyweight Tournament Final. |
| Loss | 10–5–1 | Karina Rodríguez | Decision (unanimous) | Invicta FC 35 | June 7, 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | Kansas City, Kansas, United States | |
| Win | 10–4–1 | Miranda Maverick | Decision (unanimous) | Invicta FC 34 | February 15, 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | Kansas City, Missouri, United States | |
| Loss | 9–4–1 | Kelly Kobold | Decision (unanimous) | Tuff-N-Uff: Fight Night | September 14, 2018 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 9–3–1 | Karina Rodríguez | Decision (split) | Invicta FC 28 | March 24, 2018 | 3 | 5:00 | Salt Lake City, Utah, United States | |
| Draw | 8–3–1 | Melinda Fábián | Draw (majority) | The Ultimate Fighter: A New World Champion Finale | December 1, 2017 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Return to Flyweight. Fábián was deducted one point in round 2 due to grabbing the fence. |
| Loss | 8–3 | Jodie Esquibel | Decision (split) | Invicta FC 22 | March 25, 2017 | 3 | 5:00 | Kansas City, Missouri, United States | |
| Loss | 8–2 | Roxanne Modafferi | Decision (split) | Invicta FC 16 | March 11, 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Flyweight bout. |
| Loss | 8–1 | Lívia Renata Souza | TKO (body kick and punches) | Invicta FC 15 | January 16, 2016 | 1 | 1:30 | Costa Mesa, California, United States | For the Invicta FC Strawweight Championship. |
| Win | 8–0 | Katja Kankaanpää | Decision (unanimous) | Invicta FC 14 | September 12, 2015 | 3 | 5:00 | Kansas City, Missouri, United States | |
| Win | 7–0 | Norma Rueda Center | Decision (unanimous) | Invicta FC 11 | February 27, 2015 | 3 | 5:00 | Los Angeles, California, United States | Strawweight debut. |
| Win | 6–0 | Jennifer Maia | Decision (unanimous) | Invicta FC 10: Waterson vs. Tiburcio | December 5, 2014 | 3 | 5:00 | Houston, Texas, United States | |
| Win | 5–0 | Michelle Ould | TKO (body kick) | Invicta FC 8 | September 6, 2014 | 2 | 1:34 | Kansas City, Missouri, United States | Catchweight (131.9 lbs) bout; Ould missed weight. |
| Win | 4–0 | Colleen Schneider | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Showdown Fights 14 | June 28, 2014 | 1 | 3:02 | Orem, Utah, United States | Bantamweight bout. |
| Win | 3–0 | Sharon Jacobson | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Showdown Fights 13 | January 24, 2014 | 1 | 2:12 | Orem, Utah, United States | |
| Win | 2–0 | Julianna Peña | Decision (unanimous) | Showdown Fights 10 | February 8, 2013 | 3 | 5:00 | Orem, Utah, United States | Flyweight debut. |
| Win | 1–0 | Andrea Miller | TKO (punches) | Showdown Fights 6 | February 24, 2012 | 1 | 2:41 | Orem, Utah, United States | Bantamweight debut. |

### Mixed martial arts exhibition record

| Exhibition record breakdown | Exhibition record breakdown | |
| 4 matches | 3 wins | 1 loss |
| By knockout | 1 | 1 |
| By submission | 1 | 0 |
| By decision | 1 | 0 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
| Win | 3–1 | Daiana Torquato | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Invicta FC Phoenix Series 2 | September 6, 2019 | 1 | 3:34 | Kansas City, Kansas, United States | Flyweight tournament semifinal bout. |
| Win | 2–1 | Liz Tracy | Decision (unanimous) | Invicta FC Phoenix Series 2 | September 6, 2019 | 1 | 5:00 | Kansas City, Kansas, United States | Flyweight tournament quarterfinal bout. |
| Loss | 1–1 | Sijara Eubanks | KO (head kick) | The Ultimate Fighter: A New World Champion | November 8, 2017 (air date) | 1 | 1:25 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | TUF 26 Quarter-final round |
| Win | 1–0 | Karine Gevorgyan | TKO (punches) | The Ultimate Fighter: A New World Champion | September 6, 2017 (air date) | 1 | 3:11 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | TUF 26 preliminary round |