Pearl Gonzalez (born August 12, 1986) is an American mixed martial artist. She formerly competed for Ultimate Fighting Championships, and currently fights in the strawweight division of the Invicta Fighting Championships.
Background
Gonzalez was born in Chicago, Illinois. Her parents were both drug and alcohol abusers, disturbing her childhood and adolescence. Her parents eventually separated, leaving Pearl with her father and rest of the siblings with their mother. Her father, after getting clean, placed her in combat sport classes when she was eleven years old.
Gonzalez later trained in boxing, and won the Golden Gloves amateur championship in 2008. She stopped fighting for a while in order to raise her younger sister, but went back to fighting at 21 at Combat-Do in Cicero, IL under Grappling Hall of Famer Bob Schirmer. Pearl is currently the host of the Extra Rounds Podcast on UFC FIGHT PASS.
She is of Mexico, Puerto Rico, Philippines, Irish descent.
Mixed martial arts career
Early career
Gonzalez started her amateur career in 2009, and fought professionally since 2012.
She competed for the Xtreme Fighting Championship, Xtreme Fighting Organization, Splode Fight Series, and Hoosier Fight Club. Gonzalez amassed a record of 6–1 prior to being signed by UFC.
Ultimate Fighting Championships
Gonzalez made her promotional debut on April 8, 2017, at UFC 210 against
Cynthia Calvillo.
She lost the fight via rear-naked choke.
Her next fight came on October 7, 2017, facing Poliana Botelho at UFC 216.
After two losses at UFC, Gonzalez was released by UFC and she joined Invicta Fighting Championships shortly after.
Invicta Fighting Championships
Gonzalez made her promotional debut on March 24, 2018, at against Kali Robbins.
and she won the fight via unanimous decision.
Gonzalez faced Barbara Acioly on May 4, 2018, at .
Gonzalez faced Daiane Firmino on September 1, 2018, at .
Gonzalez faced Vanessa Porto for the vacant Invicta FC Flyweight Championship at Invicta FC 34 on February 15, 2019.
On October 4, 2019, Gonzalez faced Brogan Walker-Sanchez at .
Gonzalez faced Miranda Maverick at on February 7, 2020.
Gonzalez was then scheduled to face Erin Blanchfield for the vacant Invicta FC Flyweight Championship at on November 20, 2020.
Post-Invicta
Gonzalez made her MMA return after three and a half years at XFC 50 on April 12, 2024 against Monica Medina.
She won by armbar submission in the first round.
Bare-knuckle boxing
On April 22, 2021, it was announced that Gonzalez had signed a multi-fight contract with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.
On June 1, 2021, it was announced that Gonzalez was expected to make her debut against Charisa Sigala at BKFC 18 on June 26, 2021.
She won the debut via unanimous decision.
Her sophomore appearance came against Britain Hart at BKFC 22 on November 12, 2021.
Professional boxing career
After winning her first two professional boxing bouts, she is expected to face
Gina Mazany at Gamebred Boxing 4 on April 1, 2023.
Championships and accomplishments
Mixed martial arts
-
Xtreme Fighting Championships
-
Xtreme Fighting Championships Women's Strawweight Champion vs. Cortney Casey
Bare-knuckle boxing
-
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship
Mixed martial arts record
|-
|Loss
|align=center|11–6
|Rainn Guerrero
|Decision (unanimous)
|XFC: Detroit Grand Prix 2
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Detroit, Michigan, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 11–5
|Monica Medina
|Submission (armbar)
|XFC 50
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|1:51
|Lakeland, Florida, United States
|
|-
| Loss
| align=center| 10–5
|
Miranda Maverick
| Decision (unanimous)
|
|
| align=center| 3
| align=center| 5:00
| Kansas City, Kansas, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 10–4
| Brogan Walker-Sanchez
| Decision (unanimous)
|
|
| align=center| 3
| align=center| 5:00
| Kansas City, Kansas, United States
|
|-
| Loss
| align=center| 9–4
|
Vanessa Porto
| Technical Decision (unanimous)
|
|
| align=center| 4
| align=center| 2:34
| Kansas City, Missouri, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 9–3
| Daiane Firmino
| Decision (unanimous)
|
|
| align=center| 3
| align=center| 5:00
| Kansas City, Missouri, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 8–3
| Barbara Acioly
| Submission (armbar)
|
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 1:30
| Kansas City, Missouri, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 7–3
| Kali Robbins
| Decision (unanimous)
|
|
| align=center| 3
| align=center| 5:00
| Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
|
|-
| Loss
| align=center| 6–3
|
Poliana Botelho
| Decision (unanimous)
| UFC 216
|
| align=center| 3
| align=center| 5:00
| Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
|
|-
| Loss
| align=center| 6–2
|
Cynthia Calvillo
| Submission (rear-naked choke)
| UFC 210
|
| align=center| 3
| align=center| 3:45
| Buffalo, New York, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 6–1
| Katie Klimansky-Casimir
| Submission (armbar)
| Hoosier Fight Club 28
|
| align=center| 2
| align=center| 4:20
| Hammond, Indiana, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 5–1
| Valeria Mejia
| TKO (punches)
| XFO 56
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center|3:34
| Island Lake, Illinois, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 4–1
| Katie Anita Runyan
| Submission (armbar)
| Xplode Fight Series: Heat
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center|0:39
| Valley Center, California, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 3–1
| Nikki Duncan
| Decision (unanimous)
| XFO 55
|
| align=center| 3
| align=center| 5:00
| Chicago, Illinois, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 2–1
|
Cortney Casey
| Submission (armbar)
| XFC 26
|
| align=center| 3
| align=center| 4:43
| Nashville, Tennessee, United States
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 1–1
| Suzie Montero
| Submission (armbar)
| XFC 22
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center|4:56
| Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
|
|-
| Loss
| align=center| 0–1
|
Munah Holland
| Decision (majority)
| Ring of Combat 39
|
| align=center| 3
| align=center| 5:00
| Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
|
|-
Professional boxing record
|
|
| 3 | Loss | 2–1 | Gina Mazany | MD | 6 | Apr 1, 2023 | | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Ivana Coleman | TKO | 1 (4), | Nov 18, 2022 | | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Danielle Wynn | UD | 4 | Aug 19, 2022 | | |
|
Bare knuckle boxing record
|-
|Loss
|align=center|1–1
|Britain Hart
|Decision (unanimous)
|BKFC 22
|
|align=center|5
|align=center|2:00
|Miami, Florida, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|1–0
|Charisa Sigala
|Decision (unanimous)
|BKFC 18
|
|align=center|5
|align=center|2:00
|Miami, Florida, United States
|
|-
See also
-
List of current Invicta FC fighters
-
List of female mixed martial artists
External links
