Women’s Featherweight
1. Cristiane Justino (17-1, 1 NC)
The week-by-week drama that surrounds “Cyborg” just gets wilder and wilder. When UFC women's featherweight champion Germaine de Randamie called Justino a steroid cheat and refused to fight her outright and Megan Anderson was booked to defend her Invicta Fighting Championships title against Helena Kolesnyk, it looked like Justino's goal of a title shot or facing Anderson would have to wait. Now, it looks like Justino-Anderson will happen at UFC 214 on July 29 and with a title on the line. The virtue of patience.2. Julia Budd (10-2)
Bellator MMA crowned Budd its first women’s featherweight champion on March 3. The British Columbia native was too big and too physical for MMA pioneer Marloes Coenen, as “The Jewel” battered the Dutch fighter to a fourth-round stoppage and into retirement following the bout.3. Megan Anderson (8-2)
Anderson is by far the most skilled and exciting featherweight prospect in women's MMA, so her time in the spotlight was bound to come sooner rather than later. However, when the Invicta champion started campaigning, alongside her would-be opponent, to fight Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino, it thrust her into a whole different world of melodrama. Just when it looked like Anderson would instead defend her strap against Helena Kolesnyk at Invicta 24 on July 15, last-minute retooling has now lined up Anderson-Justino for the UFC title on July 29 at UFC 214.4. Germaine de Randamie (7-3)
People thought it was weird when Germaine de Randamie-Holly Holm was lined up to crown the first-ever UFC women's featherweight champ back. Since taking the title in at UFC 208 in February, de Randamie's career has become downright surreal: “The Iron Lady” categorically refused to fight Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino, labelling her a drug cheat and now figures to be stripped of the UFC crown without even defending it.5. Charmaine Tweet (9-6)
Tweet’s sensational spinning back fist knockout of the previously unbeaten Latoya Walker last May earned her a crack at the interim Invicta featherweight title on Jan. 14. However, in the main event of Invicta 21, the Saskatchewan, Canada, native was head kicked and knocked out by rising stalwart Megan Anderson. Tweet’s last three losses have come to divisional standouts Anderson, Cristiane Justino and Julia Budd.6. Arlene Blencowe (9-6)
After putting together a 2-2 mark in Bellator MMA, Blencowe has signed a new contract with the promotion and will have the immediate chance to get into the 145-pound title mix and perhaps get another crack at inaugural champion Julia Budd, who took a majority decision over “Angerfist” in November. On Aug. 25 at Bellator 182 in Verona, New York, Blencowe takes on Ireland's Sinead Kavanagh.7. Helena Kolesnyk (5-0, 1 NC)
Just in case you do not think the concept of “falling up” is real: Kolesnyk botched her weigh-in for a slated May bout with France's Iony Razafiarsion, her first legitimate opponent, which wound up canceling the contest altogether. In turn, “Pretty Helena” was somehow granted an Invicta Fighting Championships contract and headlining title shot against Megan Anderson for July 15. Now that Anderson has pulled out due to her pending UFC title showdown with Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos, Kolesnyk is now set to face Invicta 135-pound champion Tonya Evinger, who moves up 10 pounds to meet the Ukrainian in the Invicta 24 main event.8. Amanda Bell (4-4)
While Bell's .500 mark as a pro is perhaps indicative of the lack of depth at 145 pounds, it is also a function of her consistently fighting quality opposition. This goes back to her amateur days. After topping Gabrielle Holloway in February, Bell will make her Bellator MMA debut against a woman Holloway recently upset, meeting UFC veteran Alexis Dufresne on July 14 in Thackerville, Oklahoma.9. Gabrielle Holloway (6-5)
The 145-pound focus at Bellator 174 was the inaugural women’s title bout between Julia Budd and Marloes Coenen in the main event. Nonetheless, on the undercard, Holloway earned the biggest win of her pro career, as she broke a two-fight skid by pounding out UFC veteran Alexis Dufresne in the second round. As a result, she figures to be a contender in Bellator’s nascent women’s featherweight division.10. Ediane Gomes (11-4)
In search of her first win in over four years, Gomes returned to the featherweight division after going 0-2 at 135 pounds. “India” made the most of the chance, soundly besting the tough Pam Sorenson over 15 minutes at Invicta 23 and putting herself back on the map at 145 pounds.Other Contenders: Martyna Czech, Amber Leibrock, Leah Letson, Jessica Miele, Iony Razafiarison.
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