Jessica Penne

Penne is currently facing a four-year ban from competition from the United States Anti Doping Agency, following a second infraction of the USADA program. A GoFundMe page was set up to prepare lawsuit against USADA, however in early February Penne's manager closed it down due to favorable progress with USADA. On February 28, 2020, it was reported that the susupension reduced from four years to 20 months. The suspension was retroactive from April 8, 2019 and Penne is eligible to fight again in December 8, 2020.

Penne was scheduled to face Jodie Esquibel on February 17, 2019 at UFC on ESPN 1. At the weigh-ins, Penne weighed in at 118 pounds, 2 pounds over the strawweight non-title fight upper limit of 116 pounds. As a result, the bout was expected at catchweight and Penne was fined 20% of her purse which went to her opponent Esquibel. However Penne then injured her ankle on the morning of the fight and the bout was cancelled. The pair was rescheduled to meet on April 27 at UFC Fight Night: Jacaré vs. Hermansson. However, it was reported on April 18, 2019 that Penne pulled out of the bout due to injury and she was replaced by Angela Hill

Penne next faced Danielle Taylor on April 22, 2017 at UFC Fight Night: Swanson vs. Lobov. She lost the fight via unanimous decision.

On May 10, 2017, it was announced that Penne had been flagged by USADA for anti-doping violation from a March 2017 out of competition sample. Originally reported as negative, athlete biological passport abnormalities caused USADA to re-analyse the sample using Isotope-ratio mass spectrometry which detected an anabolic steroid of exogenous origin. On January 5, 2018, Penne was suspended for 18 months, a reduction of 6 months due to her taking a DHEA supplement on a physicians recommendation. She was eligible to compete in October 2018.

In her first fight following her title shot loss, Penne faced Jéssica Andrade on June 4, 2016 at UFC 199. She lost the fight via TKO in the second round.

Penne was scheduled to face Juliana Lima on May 30, 2015 at UFC Fight Night 67. However, Penne was pulled from that bout in favor of a match-up with UFC Women's Strawweight Champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk on June 20, 2015 at UFC Fight Night 69, after that event's headliner bout fell apart. She lost the fight in the third round via TKO following a flurry of punches and a knee against the cage. Both participants were awarded Fight of the Night honors.

Penne is a kickboxer who also utilizes grappling and jiu-jitsu. While standing, she often attacks with hooks, body kicks, and knees from a clinch. Penne regularly attempts to take opponents to the mat, normally with clinches, trips, or takedown reversals. During a grappling session, she will usually attack with strikes before attempting a submission. Penne earned her black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Lucas Leite in January 2015.

On July 3, 2014, it was announced that Penne was one of 16 contestants on The Ultimate Fighter: Team Pettis vs. Team Melendez, which would crown the Ultimate Fighting Championship's first strawweight champion.

Penne made her UFC debut on December 12, 2014 at The Ultimate Fighter: A Champion Will Be Crowned Finale, facing fellow semifinalist Randa Markos on the main card. She won the back-and-forth fight by split decision (28–29, 30–27, and 29–28). The bout also won Penne her first Fight of the Night bonus award from the promotion.

Penne's first defense of the championship headlined Invicta FC 5: Penne vs. Waterson when she defended against Michelle Waterson on April 5, 2013. Penne lost the fight and the championship via armbar submission in the fourth round.

Penne faced Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc at Invicta FC 6: Coenen vs. Cyborg on July 13, 2013. She defeated Rivera-Calanoc by submission due to a rear-naked choke in the first round. Penne received a "Submission of the Night" bonus for the victory.

In February 2012, it was announced that Penne was signed by the upstart all-women's promotion Invicta Fighting Championships.

On April 28, 2012, Penne made her Invicta debut at their inaugural event entitled Invicta FC 1: Coenen vs. Ruyssen, against Lisa Ellis in the co-main event. She won the fight via TKO (strikes) at 2:48 of round 3.

Penne competed once again for Invicta on October 6, 2012, this time headlining Invicta FC 3: Penne vs. Sugiyama against the then-#1 ranked Atomweight fighter in the world and Jewels 105-pound champion, Naho Sugiyama. The fight marked the first championship bout in Invicta's history, in any weight class. Penne became Invicta's first Atomweight champion when she defeated Sugiyama in the second round via triangle choke.

In September 2011, Penne agreed to fight two-time Girls S-Cup champion Rena Kubota in a shoot boxing bout in Japan. Shoot boxing allows kicks, punches, knees, throws, and standing submissions (chokeholds, armlocks and wristlocks). Penne was added to the Shoot Boxing 2011: Act 4 fight card against Rena Kubota a week before the event. Penne beat the heavily favored Kubota in a significant upset. The bout was ruled a majority draw after the first three scheduled rounds with scores of 29–29, 29–29, and 30–29 (Penne). The fight then went to a fourth extension round, which was judged a split draw with scores of 10–9 (Kubota), 10–9 (Penne), and 10–10. The fifth and final round went to the scorecards as well and Penne was awarded the majority decision 10–9, 10–9, and 9–9.

In August 2010, Penne met future Bellator Strawweight Champion Zoila Gurgel in the opening quarterfinal round of the Bellator Season 3 115 lb women's tournament at Bellator 25. Gurgel won the fight via unanimous decision.

In May 2009, Penne became the first woman to compete and win a bout in the Bellator Fighting Championships organization when she fought at Bellator 5 against Tammie Schneider in a 117-pound catchweight bout. She won the fight via TKO (punches) in the first round.

Jessica Marie Penne (born January 30, 1983 in Newport Beach, California) is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. She was the first Invicta FC Atomweight Champion. She also competed in the first women's bout in Bellator Fighting Championships.