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Women’s Featherweight
1. Amanda Nunes (20-4) [1]
Nunes was completely dominant against Felicia Spencer in the UFC 250 headliner, winning a lopsided unanimous verdict that wasn’t as close as the judges’ scorecards (50-44, 50-44, 50-45) indicated. That makes 11 consecutive triumphs for Nunes, who joins Daniel Cormier and Henry Cejudo as the only two UFC fighters two successfully defend titles in two different weight classes. “Lioness” is having a baby with her wife, UFC strawweight Nina Ansaroff, and has expressed a desire to spend the remainder of 2020 on the sidelines while she focuses on her family..2. Cristiane Justino (22-2, 1 NC) [2]
Justino looked quite comfortable in her new home, as she overwhelmed Julia Budd for a fourth-round technical knockout victory in the Bellator 238 headliner at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif., on Jan. 25. The victory gives “Cyborg” championships in four major organizations over the course of her career – Bellator, UFC, Invicta FC and Strikeforce – and re-affirms her position as one of the greatest female mixed martial artists of all time. As has been the case throughout her career, the heavy-handed Brazilian could soon find the pickings slim when it comes to challengers in Bellator’s 145-pound division.3. Julia Budd (13-3) [3]
Budd tasted defeat for the first time since November 2011, falling to Cristiane Justino via fourth-round technical knockout in the Bellator 238 main event at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif, on Jan. 25. While “The Jewel” was able to remain competitive early on thanks to her size and strength, she eventually wilted under “Cyborg’s” trademark offensive pressure. Considering her dominance in the division prior to Justino’s arrival, it’s not unreasonable to think that Budd could earn herself a rematch in relatively short order. Regardless, Budd’s losses are just about as impressive as it gets in women’s MMA: Justino, Ronda Rousey and Amanda Nunes. Budd will attempt to rebound from the loss to “Cyborg” against Jessy Miele at Bellator 244.4. Felicia Spencer (8-2) [4]
Spencer showcased remarkable toughness over the course of a 25-minute beating at the hands of Amanda Nunes in the UFC 250 headliner at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on June 6. While surviving until the final horn is a moral victory of sorts, the lopsided nature of the defeat shows that “Feenom” will have a difficult time reaching the top of the division as long as Nunes is 145-pound champion.5. Arlene Blencowe (13-7) [5]
Blencowe continued to maintain her place as one of the world’s top featherweights at Bellator 233, where she kept the fight upright and consistently landed the better offense against UFC veteran Leslie Smith en route to a unanimous decision triumph. The 36-year-old “Angerfist” has won six of her last seven bouts, and her only losses since 2016 were a pair of narrow defeats to reigning 145-pound queen Julia Budd. As long as the Aussie keeps winning, it may be difficult to deny her a title shot.6. Megan Anderson (11-4) [6]
Anderson made a strong case for becoming the next featherweight No. 1 contender at UFC Norfolk, where she scored a one-punch knockout victory against Norma Dumont Viana 3:31 into the opening frame of their bout on Feb. 29. The 30-year-old Australian has won three of her last four Octagon appearances, a run that also includes first-round finishes against Zarah Fairn dos Santos and Cat Zingano. However, Anderson also has a recent head-to-head defeat against another top contender, Felicia Spencer.7. Jessy Miele (9-3) [7]
Miele won her fourth consecutive bout at Bellator 231, as she battled to a split decision triumph over former title challenger Talita Nogueira on Oct. 25. “The Widowmaker” also boasts a recent win over four-time UFC veteran Elizabeth Phillips on her resume and has finished six of her nine career triumphs inside the distance. More importantly, she has emerged as an interesting new contender in a shallow Bellator 145-pound weight class. Miele will face her toughest test to date when she meets Julia Budd at Bellator 244.8. Talita Nogueira (7-2) [8]
Nogueira began her professional MMA career with seven consecutive triumphs, a streak that included a first-round submission of Amanda Bell in her Bellator debut. That earned the Brazilian a title shot, where she was finished by reigning featherweight queen Julia Budd in the third stanza at Bellator 202. “Treta” returned to action a little more than a year later with more disappointing results, as she dropped a split verdict to Jessy Miele at Bellator 231 for her second consecutive defeat.9. Pam Sorenson (8-3) [9]
Sorenson claimed the vacant Invicta FC featherweight crown in dominant fashion, as she controlled Kailtin Young with takedowns and submission attempts en route to a lopsided unanimous decision victory in Kansas City, Kan., on Aug. 9. The 33-year-old Blaine, Minn., native has won three of her last four appearances within the all-female organization.10. Kaitlin Young (11-10-1) [10]
Young returned to the win colum at Invicta FC 41, taking a convincing unanimous decision triumph over Latoya Walker on July 30. The former matchmaker has won four of her last five professional appearances since coming out of retirement, with her only loss coming at the hands of Pam Sorenson in a 145-pound title bout in August 2019.Other Contenders: Amanda Bell, Leslie Smith, Sinead Kavanagh, Olga Rubin, Cindy Dandois.
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