"This fight was for Suzy" - Raquel Pennington dedicates her decision win over Pannie Kianzad to late UFC make-up artist Suzy Friton

Raquel Pennington took on Pannie Kianzad in a bantamweight bout at UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Spann. 'Rocky' managed to edge out a decision win over Kianzad as the three judges scored the bout 29-28 in Pennington's favor.

In her post-fight interview, the 33-year-old dedicated her win to Suzy Friton, the UFC wardrobe and make-up artist who recently passed away.

Friton, who had been with the UFC since 2006, was suffering from stage-four breast cancer. She did hair-styling, make-up, and wardrobe for UFC fighters, ring girls, and UFC commentators.

After her demise, wishes poured in from the MMA community, paying tribute to Friton.

UFC commentator Jon Anik posted a picture of himself with Friton, sharing his feelings on the 37-year-old's demise.

"So many times I prayed this day wouldn’t come. And there are no words, really, to describe how profound a loss this is for so many in our UFC family. Suzy Friton, our longtime, beloved UFC make-up artist, friend, and so much more, went peacefully on September 9th. Her attitude and fortitude over her final weeks will inspire many of us for years to come. Her fight was just so valiant, the belief in her ability to beat this thing so strong. I’m confident I would’ve succumbed a lot sooner. She just was able to channel a focus and a ferocity and a positivity that truly helped extend her life. There was just no one like Suzy," wrote Jon Anik.

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Raquel Pennington is now on a two-fight win streak

With her win at UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Spann, Raquel Pennington is now on a two-fight winning streak in the bantamweight division of the UFC. Her previous win was against Marion Reneau at UFC Vegas 3 in June 2020.

With momentum on her side, 'Rocky' will now be looking to climb her way back to a title shot. Raquel Pennington fought Amanda Nunes for the bantamweight title at UFC 244 but ended up on the losing side of the contest.