Sherdog’s Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

Women’s Bantamweight

1. Amanda Nunes (14-4)

Following the dissolution of Cody Garbrandt-T.J. Dillashaw, it looked like UFC 213 would be defined by the much-anticipated Amanda Nunes-Valentina Shevchenko rematch. Instead, after making weight, Nunes said she was suffering from sinusitis and opted to pull out of her second title defense despite being cleared to compete on fight day. The drama has yet to fully resolve itself, but Nunes-Shevchenko 2 is on for UFC 215 in Edmonton, Alberta.

2. Valentina Shevchenko (14-2)

Shevchenko earned her rematch with Amanda Nunes and a UFC title bid via excellent wins over Holly Holm and Julianna Pena. She was a favorite on some sportsbooks headed into the Nunes rematch. She made weight. Then, on the day of UFC 213, Nunes pulled out of their main event clash due to illness. Shevchenko will get another chance to meet Nunes, as the UFC has rescheduled their rematch for UFC 215 on Sept. 9 in Edmonton, Alberta.

3. Holly Holm (11-3)

Holm's historic clobbering of Ronda Rousey in November 2015 was followed by three straight losses; and after her UFC women's featherweight title loss to Germaine de Randamie in February, it seemed like it only made sense for Holm to stay put at 135 pounds. That notion gained more credence when Holm absolutely leveled former UFC title challenger Bethe Correia with a head kick in June. Nonetheless, with the UFC featherweight title now around Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino's waist, Holm has taken to calling out the Brazilian in hopes of getting the biggest payday she can.

4. Julianna Pena (8-3)

Pena had her moments in the UFC on Fox 23 headliner, but ultimately, she could not finish her armbar in the first round and watched as opponent Valentina Shevchenko cinched one of her own late in the second. “The Venezuelan Vixen” still has one of the division's best hit lists; and at 27 years old, she has plenty of time to contend for a title.

5. Raquel Pennington (9-5)

Since beginning her pro career 3-3, “Rocky” has gone 6-2 in the Octagon, including a four-fight winning streak that features a victory over former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Miesha Tate at UFC 205 in November. Pennington figures to be in the UFC 135-pound title mix in the immediate future, but she first must recover from surgeries on her shoulder and hand.

6. Ronda Rousey (12-2)

After much anticipation, curiosity and speculation surrounding her title fight versus Amanda Nunes at UFC 208, Rousey’s Octagon return quickly turned into a disastrous nightmare. The Olympic judo bronze medalist was tagged immediately by Nunes and then brutally clobbered with a battery of punches before biting the dust in just 48 seconds. Even with consecutive, humiliating losses to Nunes and Holly Holm, Rousey still has one of the best resumes at 135 pounds. Whether or not she ever fights again at all has become the operative question.

7. Sara McMann (11-3)

Since getting mauled by future champion Amanda Nunes in August 2015, McMann has been active and on fire. The Olympic silver medal-winning wrestler has put together increasingly impressive victories over Jessica Eye, Alexis Davis and Gina Mazany in a short time. McMann next faces 8-0 Brazilian prospect Ketlen Vieira at UFC 215 on Sept. 9. It will be her fourth fight in 14 months.

8. Tonya Evinger (19-6, 1 NC)

Evinger was long overdue for a call up to the UFC, but “Triple Threat” finally found a way to make it happen: She stepped into a women's featherweight title fight with Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino as a replacement for Megan Anderson at UFC 214. Evinger was a colossal underdog and took her lumps en route to a third-round knockout loss, but doing the promotion a solid by stepping into the vacant title fight with Justino will allow her to hang out in the Octagon at her actual weight class: 135 pounds.

9. Liz Carmouche (11-5)

Carmouche’s win over Katlyn Chookagian in her overdue Octagon return in November put her back on the 135-pound map. “Girl-rilla” was set to jump deeper into the wide-open 135-pound race on Feb. 19, but an injury forced her to withdraw from a scheduled clash with Sara McMann at UFC Fight Night 109 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

10. Ketlen Vieira (8-0)

The UFC women's bantamweight division is in need of new, fresh challengers, and upstart Nova Uniao product Vieira certainly fits the bill, especially with her handy win over Ashlee Evans-Smith at UFC on Fox 24 in April. That W has earned her an even bigger assignment. If the undefeated Brazilian can push her record to 9-0 when she faces Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann at UFC 215 on Sept. 9, she may not be far off from a 135-pound title shot.

Other Contenders: Bethe Correia, Katlyn Chookagian, Alexis Davis, Ashlee Evans-Smith, Lauren Murphy.

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