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There was a time when Dana White couldn’t even entertain the idea of Women fighting in the UFC. The largest MMA organization in the world now has 3 different weight classes dedicated to the fairer sex and a payroll filled with the best female fighters from around the globe.
The women are featured prominently on every card and occasionally, even get the honors of headlining PPV offerings from the UFC. Don’t get me wrong when I say that the men still dominate in terms of financial returns as it’s a thoroughly factual claim.
Ronda Rousey’s fall from grace and subsequent departure did hurt the overall business from a women’s standpoint, but the UFC still has a bunch of female fighters who draw in respectable numbers and have a large fan base to boast about.
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The women in the UFC, though, have made major strides in recent years and look set to continue on the solid foundation that has been built. This onus of the foundation’s firmness can be put on the shoulders of a handful of women, whose skill and accomplishments have brought in the necessary hype as well as the considerable moolah.
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These women are the best the UFC has had to offer over the years, some of whom are still active as we speak. So let’s count them down, shall we?
#8 Holly Holm (12-4) (5-4 in the UFC)
Honors and Accomplishments
Former UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion
Two Fight of Night Bonuses
Knockout and Upset of the Year 2015
Boxing Record (33-2)
15 Boxing Titles, 16 Title Defenses at three different weight classes
The Preacher's Daughter was already a legendary pugilist when she swapped the boxing ring for the Octagon, but, nobody expected the transition to be as smooth as it was.
Every MMA fanatic watched in awe as Holm head kicked the mystical Ronda Rousey to the ground, thus ending a seemingly infrangible reign and beginning a new chapter in the Women's Bantamweight division. The win, considered to be one of the biggest upsets in UFC history, put the former Boxing standout on the MMA map as the real deal.
Undefeated as the undisputed UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion, Holm was on top of the world. However, she lost the title in her first defense itself to Miesha Tate and what followed was a painful career slump.
She went on to lose 4 of her next 6 fights after her monumental win against Rousey, out of which two were Featherweight title losses to Cris Cyborg and Germaine De Randamie.
Her recent history may force you to label Holm as a one-hit wonder, but Holm is a fighter of the highest caliber whose striking capabilities are second to none.
#7 Miesha Tate (18-7) (5-4 in the UFC)
Honors and Accomplishments
Former UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion
Former Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Champion
Two Fight of Night, One Performance of the Night Bonuses
Notable Wins: Holly Holm, Sara McMann, Liz Carmouche, Jessica Eye
Don't let Miesha Tate's alluring beauty distract you from her fighting credentials. 'Cupcake' is a highly skilled fighter with a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu base who is rightfully imputed for being one of the catalysts towards the growing clout of women in the UFC.
Tate was always earmarked to be the poster girl of the UFC but had to settle for being in the shadows of a certain Ronda Rousey. Despite losing both her title fights against Rousey, Tate eventually did manage to win the top prize in the UFC after she beat Rousey's conqueror Holly Holm.
Tate was awarded the Comeback of the Year award 2016 for her emphatic 5-fight win streak that culminated with her victory against Holm. She had finally reached the summit and could rest in peace knowing she had won the elusive UFC title. Tate lost her next two fights and called time on her career after losing to Raquel Pennington in November 2016.
It's always a smart decision to retire when your quality deprecates and the downward slide begins as there is no point in tarnishing one's legacy. Tate did exactly that and while she may not have had an iconic title reign to her resume; the explosiveness of her fights, the show of grit and her fighting style made her a fan favorite and one of the best in MMA history without a doubt.
#6 Rose Namajunas (8-3) (6-2 in the UFC)
Honors and Accomplishments
One-Time UFC Women's Strawweight Champion
Two Performance of the Night Bonuses
2017 MMA Fighter of The Year
Notable Wins: Joanna Jędrzejczyk (twice), Paige Vanzant, Michelle Waterson, Angela Hill
In the day and age where female fighters wouldn't shy away from using their looks as a marketing tool, Rose Namajunas is the perfect antithesis.
The woman who handed Joanna Jędrzejczyk her first professional MMA loss via TKO ought to be considered one of the best to have ever done it. The Taekwondo and Karate Black Belt proved her upset victory over Joanna was no fluke either by notching up a unanimous decision win over the Polish brawler in the rematch.
A slow beginner, Namajunas had a 2-2 record after her first four fights and was the runner-up in the Ultimate Fighter which was the edition to crown the inaugural Strawweight Champion. The 'Thug' bounced back from an uncertain start and lost just one of her next seven fights with her solitary loss coming against Karolina Kowalkiewicz in a close split decision.
At 26 years old, Namajunas may have a long way to go but her unflashy persona coupled with her well-rounded fighting style will surely bring her a lot of success.
#5 Valentina Shevchenko (16-3) (7-2 in the UFC)
Honors and Accomplishments
One-time UFC Women's Flyweight Champion
Two Performance of Night Bonuses
4 Wins Over Joanna Jędrzejczyk (3 Muay Thai, 1 MMA)
Kickboxing Record (56-2), 5 World Kickboxing Gold Medals, 8-Time I.M.F.A. Muay Thai World Gold Medalist
Notable UFC Wins: Holly Holm, Joanna Jędrzejczyk, Julianna Peña, Sara Kaufman
Shevchenko is one heck of a fighter. Seems like the Peruvian Kyrgyzstani was born to fight as she took to Taekwondo at the age of 5. The 30-year-old currently holds black belts in Judo and Taekwondo and the Master of Sports rank in Boxing, Muay Thai, and Boxing.
Now that's a wholesome resume!
The Bullet has only three losses in her MMA career with one of them being a controversial split decision loss to one of the names who ranks higher up on his list. Shevchenko is a proper mixed martial artist who possibly has the most-well rounded striking game in all of UFC.
Her win against Joanna Jędrzejczyk cemented her place as one of the best in the UFC and the promising proposition is that the 30-year-old is just getting started.
#4 Joanna Jędrzejczyk (15-3) (9-3 in the UFC)
Honors and Accomplishments
Former UFC Women's Strawweight Champion
First Female European and Polish Champion in UFC
5 Successful Strawweight Title Defenses
Highest Significant Strike Differential in UFC Title Fights
Two Fight of Nights, One Performance of Night bonuses
Muay Thai Record (37-3), 5-Time I.M.F.A. Muay Thay World Championship Gold Medals
Notable Wins: Claudia Gadelha, Karolina Kowalkiewicz, Jessica Andrade, Carla Esparaza, Jessica Penna
The once-undefeated UFC Champion's accolades itself should be enough to convince you of her greatness. Every fighter goes through a vulnerable phase and Joanna -- despite her predictions of ending her career without a loss, has seen a predictable downfall.
Nonetheless, the queen of sprawl-and-brawl is one of the most dominant champions in UFC history. She thoroughly outstruck all her opponents while putting together an iconic title reign and has been termed as the 'Female Chuck Liddell'. No disrespect to the Iceman but Joanna is far more technically adept in the striking department as she is a certified Muay Thai Champion.
She may be a shadow of her former self but her supremacy from 2015 to 2017 with the Strawweight title helped the UFC counteract the loss of another dominant champion in Ronda Rousey.
#3 Ronda Rousey (12-2) (6-2 in the UFC)
Honors and Accomplishments
Former UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion
First Female UFC Champion
Four Performance of Nights, One Submission of the Night and Two Fight of the Night Bonuses
Most Armbar Finishes (9), Six Successful Title Defenses
Most Title Fight Finishing Streak (6)
UFC Hall of Famer
Olympic Bronze MEdalist in Judo
Notable Wins: Miesha Tate (Twice), Liz Carmouche, Sara McMann, Cat Zingano, Sarah Kaufman, Bethe Correia
There was a time when Ronda Rousey was considered the best female MMA Fighter on the planet and was on course to become the undisputed GOAT. Two embarrassing losses to Holy Holm and Amanda Nunes and her well-constructed aura was blown to bits.
Her striking weaknesses were exposed and sadly enough, one of the most commanding champions in UFC history, male or female, was made to look like an amateur. Her contributions towards the mainstream growth of MMA and UFC, however, is unchallenged.
Rousey, for most parts, used her elite Judo background to overpower her opponents but as mentioned earlier in this article, the undefeated tag is rarely a perpetual phenomenon. Many fans have turned on Rowdy for running away from the Octagon for the glittery world of pro wrestling and showbiz but nobody can argue over the fact that Rousey was an influential fighter who did a lot not just for the women of MMA but also for the sport in general.
She played to her strengths and amassed a record that would stand for the foreseeable future -- both in terms of the money she brought in for the UFC as well as her in-fight accolades.
#2 Amanda Nunes (16-4) (9-1 in the UFC)
Honors and Accomplishments
One-Time UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion
Three Performance of the Night Bonuses
Six Finishes in the UFC
Three Succesful Title Defenses
Notable Wins: Ronda Rousey, Miesha Tate, Valentina Shevchenko (twice), Germaine De Randamie, Sara McMann.
The Lioness doesn't always get the deserved props for her exploits inside the Octagon. Nunes has just one loss to her name in the UFC which came against Cat Zingano and apart from her razor-sharp win against Shevchenko, the Brazilian has looked almost untouchable.
The biggest feather in her cap has to be her savage TKO win against Ronda Rousey. Nunes has gone from strength to strength to become the best Women's Bantamweight Champion after Rousey in terms of the statistics.
The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt can even stake her claim for being the best ever but she would have to beat the final name on this list to do so...
#1 Cris Cyborg (20-1-1, 5-0 in the UFC)
Honors and Accomplishments
One-Time UFC Women's Featherweight Champion
Former Invicta and Strikeforce Women's Featherweight Champion
Undefeated since 2005 with 19 wins and 1 NC
Notable Wins: Gina Carano, Holly Holm, Tonya Evinger, Charmaine Tweet, Marloes Coenen, Fiona Muxlow
I was tempted to put Nunes on the top spot, after all, Cyborg does have a tainted past with a documented history of her PED usage. However, even without bringing up the PED argument, it's tough to think of anyone who can beat the freak of nature that is Cris Cyborg.
Cyborg is a knockout artist of the highest order and easily the best female fighter in MMA history. She could even give some of the male UFC fighters a run for their money, that's the level of superiority that the Muay Thai Black Belt possess. Her Brown Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu makes her lethal on the mat as well and all in all, Cyborg is a nightmarish opponent for anyone who claims to be the best.
Ronda Rousey was billed to be the woman who could have taken Cyborg down but we just can't imagine that happening anymore. The only fighter who has the acumen to pull off the aforementioned feat is Nunes and we just can't wait for the two Brazilians to throw down at UFC 232.
The winner will be labeled the best female fighter ever, it's as simple as that.
