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UFC is known to entertain its fans. Throughout 2023, it did so in spades. Legends and stars made their octagon returns, titles changed hands under surprising circumstances, while the unlikeliest of winners authored upsets no one could have ever predicted.
However, a significant amount of attention is afforded to the men's MMA bouts. Many will praise some wars that graced the octagon in the men's divisions, like the featherweight barnburner between Edson Barboza and Sodiq Yusuff, or the legendary lightweight clash between Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski.
However, the women's divisions had stellar fights of their own. Some were title fights with jaw-dropping conclusions, while others were redemption arcs for fighters eager to erase the memory of their recent failures. Regardless, 2023 had plenty to go around.
#5. Michelle Waterson-Gomez vs. Luana Pinheiro, UFC 287
UFC 287 was overshadowed by the rematch between Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya. However, the card was teeming with thrilling bouts. Among those fights was a strawweight matchup between Michelle Waterson-Gomez and Luana Pinheiro, who left the undercard abuzz.
By then, Waterson-Gomez was on a losing streak, but no less a tough outing for anyone. So when she welcomed the streaking Pinheiro, fireworks were expected. The two women clashed inside the octagon in a closely-contested bout. However, it wasn't just a brawl, it was a full mixed martial arts exchange.
Both women pursued takedowns and traded blows, but Waterson-Gomez was more active. So when Pinheiro was declared the winner, the MMA world was stunned, as many were convinced that Waterson-Gomez had done enough to win. The controversial outcome, however, added a layer of spice to a thrilling war.
#4. Mackenzie Dern vs. Angela Hill, UFC Vegas 73
Mackenzie Dern is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu sensation, but on May 20, 2023, she left MMA fans jaw-dropped with her much-improved striking as she took on Angela Hill. Always game and backed by a wealth of kickboxing experience, Hill is a tough outing for anyone, despite her questionable record.
Dern, however, is known for her toughness and tenacity, so when the women locked horns, she fought her heart out. Not only did she secure several of the takedowns she attempted, she also outstruck 'Overkill,' even scoring a knockdown that left many wondering about the upper limits of her potential.
But Hill, as always, proved difficult to finish and gave as good as she got, fighting off Dern's submission setups and surviving her foe's ground-and-pound. In the end, both women were bruised, but Dern emerged as the clear winner.
#3. Irene Aldana vs. Karol Rosa, UFC 296
Ahead of UFC 296, Irene Aldana was eager to wash away the bitter taste of her poor performance against Amanda Nunes prior to the legendary Brazilian's retirement. So when she and Karol Rosa met inside the octagon in 2023's final pay-per-view, Aldana was a woman on a mission.
Both women had an all-striking battle interrupted by just one takedown attempt from Rosa. It was an action-packed affair that saw Rosa break the record for the most low kicks landed in a single UFC fight. Furthermore, both women set the record for the most significant strikes in a women's bantamweight bout.
Despite Rosa's efforts, however, she fell to Aldana's grit. They were both awarded Fight of the Night honors, and Aldana was declared the victor. After the bout's conclusion, Aldana's leg was left badly bruised by the record-breaking stream of low kicks her opponent had landed. It was her badge of honor from the fight.
#2. Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko 2, Noche UFC
Valentina Shevchenko had her chance to reclaim the women's flyweight strap from Alex Grasso at Noche UFC. 'Bullet' was motivated by her belief that her prior loss was a fluke, while Grasso was determined to prove that Shevchenko was a great of yesteryear, that she was meant to beat her.
Their second fight took on a complexion similar to their first. Despite her kickboxing experience, Shevchenko struggled to contend with Grasso's striking. Not only was she outstruck, she was also knocked down. Where Shevchenko found her strength was in her wrestling and top control.
She secured takedowns, landed ground-and-pound and racked up control time. Toward the end, many believed that Shevchenko had done enough to deserve the judges' decision. However, the fight was declared a split-draw, much to the confusion of several observers. Now, a trilogy bout is expected.
#1. Valentina Shevchenko vs. Alexa Grasso, UFC 285
The greatest upset in women's MMA last year was Alexa Grasso's first showdown with Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 285. Ahead of the title fight, 'Bullet' was the defending women's flyweight queen and regarded as the most dominant female mixed martial artist in the game besides Amanda Nunes.
Grasso, meanwhile, was regarded as little more than a lamb primed for slaughter. But when the fight took place, Grasso proved much faster and sharper than Shevchenko had anticipated, stunning her on the feet and forcing Shevchenko to resort to takedowns to even out the odds.
However, in Round 4, Shevchenko began tiring and made an ill-fated decision to throw a spinning back-fist with no setup, exposing her back. Grasso quickly mounted her back, locked in a face-crank and the rest was history.
