Angela Magaña (born August 2, 1983) is an American

mixed martial artist Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting sport based on striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-stylistic contests took place t ...

who formerly competed in the

strawweight Mini flyweight, also known as paperweight, minimumweight, strawweight, or super atomweight, is a weight class in combat sports. Boxing In professional boxing, boxers in the minimumweight division may weigh no more than . This is a relatively new ...

division of the

Ultimate Fighting Championship The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter (entertainment), promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor ( ...

(UFC). She is also known for competing on ''The Ultimate Fighter 20'' for Team Melendez.

Early life

When Magaña was five, she lived in the streets of

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

with her mother who was addicted to

heroin Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a morphinan opioid substance synthesized from the Opium, dried latex of the Papaver somniferum, opium poppy; it is mainly used as a recreational drug for its eupho ...

. She slept in back alleys and ate out of garbage cans. Eventually her grandparents gained custody, but Magaña was already scarred with the issues she'd experienced. Her mother overdosed and died when Magaña turned 17. Magana's father is a Mexican national who was deported to Mexico when she was a child. At the age of 14, she was raped by the father of some children that she babysat for while the children's mother watched. The man was convicted for the crime and served 10 years of a 14-year sentence, while the wife was not charged with any crime. In 2007, Magaña broke her back by falling down three stories of stairs. She has suffered two auto accidents, one of which put her in a coma for several days.

Mixed martial arts career

Magaña started her MMA career on March 23, 2007 at Gladiator Challenge 60 against Tia Castillo. She won via TKO in the first round. She suffered her first defeat when she tapped out to an armbar by

Jessica Aguilar Jessica Aguilar (born May 8, 1982) is a Mexican mixed martial artist who competes in RIZIN. At the time of her voluntary departure from World Series of Fighting, she was the reigning WSOF Women's Strawweight Champion. Aguilar previously competed ...

. Magaña then submitted her next two opponents both by armbar. A rematch was set between her and Aguilar at WFC 6, she lost via technical submission. After a split decision victory over Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc at FCF 19, Magaña defeated Aguilar in their trilogy fight in the first round of the HOOKnSHOOT GFight 2009 Grand Prix via majority decision. Magaña fought Van do in the semi-finals. She won via rear-naked choke, and will face Lisa Hugo in the finals. She lost via unanimous decision. After going 8-3 Magaña was set to face future Invicta FC Atomweight Champion

Jessica Penne Jessica Penne (born January 30, 1983) is an American professional mixed martial artist. Penne competed in the Women's Strawweight division for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). She was the first Invicta FC Atomweight Champion. She also c ...

. She lost via submission. She then went on a three fight win streak including a victory over

Barb Honchak Barbara Marie Honchak (born August 30, 1979) is a retired American professional female mixed martial artist. She is the first Invicta FC Flyweight Champion. She has four wins in the Invicta FC promotion and holds notable victories over Vaness ...

The Ultimate Fighter

Magaña took part as one of the Strawweights on TUF 20. In her preliminary round bout, Magaña faced Irish stand out

Aisling Daly Aisling Daly ( ; born 24 December 1987) is a retired Irish female professional mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist who last competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, UFC women's Strawweight (MMA), strawweight division. Daly had been ...

. She lost via TKO in round three.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Magaña made her

UFC The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. The larg ...

debut at The Ultimate Fighter 20 Finale taking on former teammate

Tecia Torres Tecia Moncaio; born August 16, 1989, is an American mixed martial artist who is currently competing in the women's Strawweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As of May 6, 2025, she is #13 in the UFC women's strawweight r ...

. She lost via decision. Magaña returned to the octagon to take on the debuting former Invicta FC Atomweight Champion

Michelle Waterson Michelle Eileen Waterson-Gomez (born January 6, 1986) is an American former mixed martial artist, actress, stuntwoman, and model who competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). She is the former Invicta FC Atomweight Champion. Betwe ...

at The Ultimate Fighter 21 Finale. She lost the fight via submission in the third round. Angela Magaña fought in

UFC 218 ''UFC 218: Holloway vs. Aldo 2'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that was held on December 2, 2017, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. Background After previously contesting two events in ...

on December 2, 2017 against The Ultimate Fighter: Team Joanna vs. Team Cláudia runner-up Amanda Cooper. She lost the fight via TKO in the second round. On December 3, 2017, Magaña publicly announced on Twitter that her contract with the UFC had been terminated after an 0–3 record.

Post-UFC career

Magana faced Kanako Murata at Rizin 12 on August 12, 2018. She lost the fight by

Von Flue choke A chokehold, choke, stranglehold or, in Judo, shime-waza () is a general term for a grappling hold that critically reduces or prevents either air (choking)''The New Oxford Dictionary of English'' (1999). Oxford University press. . or blood (str ...

, 3:53 into the second round.

Personal life

In April 2019, Magana was left in an unresponsive coma after complications following spinal surgery at University Hospital in

San Juan, Puerto Rico San Juan ( , ; Spanish for "Saint John the Baptist, John") is the capital city and most populous Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality in the Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the ...

. She woke up from her coma two days later.

Mixed martial arts record

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Kanako Murata Kanako Murata (村田夏南子, born August 10, 1993) is a Japanese mixed martial artist and former wrestler, who competes in the Strawweight division. A professional mixed martial artist since 2016, Murata has competed in the Ultimate Fighting ...

, Submission (Von Flue choke) , Rizin 12 , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 3:53 ,

Nagoya is the largest city in the Chūbu region of Japan. It is the list of cities in Japan, fourth-most populous city in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020, and the principal city of the Chūkyō metropolitan area, which is the List of ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

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Detroit, Michigan Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

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Stephanie Eggink Stephanie Eggink (born July 12, 1988) is an American people, American mixed martial artist, who currently competes in the Strawweight (MMA), Strawweight division of the all-female promotion Invicta Fighting Championships, Invicta FC. A profession ...

, Submission (triangle choke) , XFC 25: Boiling Point , September 6, 2013 , align=center, 2 , align=center, 3:10 ,

Albuquerque, New Mexico Albuquerque ( ; ), also known as ABQ, Burque, the Duke City, and in the past 'the Q', is the List of municipalities in New Mexico, most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico, and the county seat of Bernalillo County, New Mexico, Bernal ...

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Jessica Eye Jessica Jo-Anne Eye (born July 27, 1986) is a former American professional Mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist currently signed with the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC). She competed as a flyweight in the Ultimate Fighting Champio ...

, Decision (unanimous) , NAAFS: Rock N Rumble 6 , August 17, 2012 , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–United States border, Canada–U.S. maritime border ...

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Ignacio, Colorado The Town of Ignacio (Ute dialect: Piinuu) is a Statutory Town in La Plata County, Colorado, United States. The population was 852 at the 2020 United States census. Ignacio is the headquarters of the Southern Ute Indian Reservation. History ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 10–4 , Elsie Zwicker , Submission (armbar) , MFA: New Generation 5 , May 7, 2011 , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:55 ,

Miami, Florida Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 9–4 ,

, Decision (split) , Ultimate Women Challenge , September 24, 2010 , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 , St George, Utah, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 8–4 ,

, Submission (rear-naked choke) , Action Fight League: Rock-N-Rumble , September 25, 2009 , align=center, 2 , align=center, 4:10 ,

Hollywood, Florida Hollywood is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. It is a suburb in the Miami metropolitan area. The population of Hollywood was 153,067 as of 2020, making it the Broward County#Communities, third-largest city in Broward County, th ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 8–3 , Meghan Wright , Submission (armbar) , UCFC: Rumble on the Rivers , June 27, 2009 , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:35 ,

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 7–3 , Stephanie Palmer , TKO (punches) , CMF: Ground & Pound , June 20, 2009 , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:33 ,

Farmington, New Mexico Farmington (Navajo language, Navajo: Tóta') is a city in San Juan County, New Mexico, San Juan County in the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 46,624 people. Farmington (and ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 6–3 , Lisa Higo , Decision (unanimous) , HOOKnSHOOT: GFight 2009 Grand Prix , January 16, 2009 , align=center, 3 , align=center, 3:00 ,

Evansville, Indiana Evansville is a city in Vanderburgh County, Indiana, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 118,414 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is Indiana's List of cities in Indiana, third-most populous city after India ...

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Claremore, Oklahoma Claremore is a city in and the county seat of Rogers County, Oklahoma, Rogers County in northeastern Oklahoma, United States. Its population was 19,580 at the United States Census, 2020, 2020 census, a 5.4% increase over the 18,581 recorded in ...

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, TKO (blood in the eye) , WFC 6: Battle in the Bay , March 22, 2008 , align=center, 3 , align=center, 1:53 ,

Tampa, Florida Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and t ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 3–1 , Lynn Alvarez , Submission (armbar) , Tuff-N-Uff: Thompson vs. Troyer , February 8, 2008 , align=center, 2 , align=center, 1:25 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 2–1 , Crystal Harris , Submission (armbar) , Tuff-N-Uff 3 , June 22, 2007 , align=center, 1 , align=center, 3:10 ,

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, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 1–0 , Tia Castillo , TKO (punches) , GC 60: Invasion , March 23, 2007 , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:43 ,

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Mixed martial arts exhibition record

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, TKO (punches) , The Ultimate Fighter: A Champion Will Be Crowned , October 29, 2014 (airdate) , align=center, 3 , align=center, 2:34 ,

, United States ,

Championships and achievements

Mixed martial arts

* 2009

HOOKnSHOOT HOOKnSHOOT was a mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion based in Evansville, Indiana, United States. It was one of the earliest MMA promotions in the United States, and one of the first organisations in the United States to allow Women's MMA. Hist ...

Women's Grand Prix Runner-up

References

External links

Official Youtube channel
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Magana, Angela 1985 births Mixed martial artists from New Mexico American female mixed martial artists Flyweight mixed martial artists Living people People from Farmington, New Mexico American mixed martial artists of Mexican descent Strawweight mixed martial artists 21st-century American women Ultimate Fighting Championship female fighters