Women’s Bantamweight
1. Amanda Nunes (13-4)
Heading into UFC 200, Nunes had posted a 4-1 mark with three stoppages, but the knock on her was that she fatigued down the stretch and thus may prove a perfect foil for the ever-scrappy Miesha Tate. In their ad hoc main event, Nunes made sure no later rounds were necessary, completely destroying Tate with punches before choking her out in just over three minutes in one of the year’s biggest beatdowns. With the win, the Brazilian also becomes the UFC’s first openly gay champion.2. Miesha Tate (18-6)
Tate’s title capture over Holly Holm in March remains one of the year’s most indelible moments, but “Cupcake” could not continue that momentum forward when thrust into the main event of UFC 200 against Brazilian challenger Amanda Nunes. Tate was raked with heavy Nunes punches from the outset before succumbing to a rear-naked choke and having her title taken just past the three-minute mark of the first round.3. Holly Holm (10-1)
Less than four months after Holm shocked the world by knocking out Ronda Rousey, “The Preacher’s Daughter” found herself on the receiving end of an upset in the co-main event of UFC 196. Holm fought a measured and technical fight against Miesha Tate but let her guard down in the fifth round and paid the price when she was put to sleep by a rear-naked choke. She will attempt to bounce back in the UFC on Fox 20 main event on July 23, when she confronts Valentina Shevchenko.4. Ronda Rousey (12-1)
Rousey was on the receiving end of a Holly Holm head kick knockout that was equal parts brutal and stunning at UFC 193 on Nov. 14. The first defeat of the decorated judoka’s MMA career came before a record-setting crowd in Melbourne, Australia, and cost her the UFC women’s bantamweight title, shattering her aura of invincibility. Rousey is expected to return in late 2016 or early 2017, though exactly when and against whom remains anyone’s guess.5. Julianna Pena (8-2)
Pena took another step forward in validating herself as an elite contender at 135 pounds, dominating former UFC women’s bantamweight title challenger Cat Zingano over the final 10 minutes of their UFC 200 bout. Since returning from her horrific 2014 knee injury, “The Venezuelan Vixen” is 3-0 with three lopsided wins over Zingano, Jessica Eye and Milana Dudieva.6. Cat Zingano (9-2)
Back from a 16-month absence, Zingano is now eligible to be ranked again, but the former UFC title challenger does not return on a positive note. Though “Alpha” started quickly against Julianna Pena, she could not keep up her wrestling attack, giving up her back in the second and third rounds, fending off rear-naked chokes until the final bell and losing a unanimous decision.7. Tonya Evinger (18-5)
Evinger won her ninth consecutive bout and defended her Invicta Fighting Championships bantamweight belt for the first time on May 7 in a five-round wipeout of fellow veteran Colleen Schneider. Ten years into her MMA career, the Missouri native seems to have hit her stride, having taken out solid competition in six straight outings under the Invicta banner.8. Sara McMann (9-3)
McMann has struggled since her 66-second title fight loss to Ronda Rousey at UFC 170 over two years ago, barely and questionably topping Lauren Murphy while losing to Miesha Tate and Amanda Nunes. The Olympic silver medalist got back into the swing of things on May 29, dominating Jessica Eye for 15 minutes en route to three 30-27 shutout scorecards.9. Valentina Shevchenko (12-2)
After bursting on the scene with a win over former Strikeforce champion Sarah Kaufman, “Bullet” had her upward trajectory halted at UFC 196. The 28-year-old Kyrgyzstan native was overwhelmed and out-grappled by Amanda Nunes, dropping a unanimous decision after three rounds. Shevchenko has accepted her next assignment: a July 23 showdown with former champion Holly Holm in the UFC on Fox 20 headliner.10. Raquel Pennington (7-5)
Pennington on April 16 eked out a narrow split decision over former UFC title contender Bethe Correia, putting the Coloradan on her first winning streak since 2012. Though her Octagon tenure has been up and down, “Rocky” has earned victories against the likes of Jessica Andrade, Roxanne Modafferi and Ashlee Evans-Smith. Pennington will be back in the cage against Elizabeth Phillips at UFC 202 on Aug. 20.Other Contenders: Germaine de Randamie, Ashlee Evans-Smith, Sarah Kaufman, Lauren Murphy, Marion Reneau
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