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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. Retirement talks proved to be premature for “Lioness,” who will return for a another 145-pound title defense against Megan Anderson at UFC 256 on Dec. 12.2. 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. The heavy-handed Brazilian will next defend her crown against Arlene Blencowe at Bellator 249.3. Julia Budd (14-3) [3]
When she’s not facing Cristiane Justino, Budd is still just about as dominant as they come. The former featherweight champion was rarely threatened by Jessy Miele at Bellator 244, as she swept the scorecards in convincing fashion at Mohegan Sun Arena on Aug. 21. Few 145-pounders are a physical match for Budd, who has won 12 of her last 13 professional appearances. As long as “Cyborg” is champion, it may take another victory or two for Budd to get another shot at the belt.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. The Aussie will get another shot at featherweight gold when she squares off against Cristiane Justino at Bellator 249.6. Megan Anderson (11-4) [6]
Anderson made a strong case as a top featherweight 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. After watching Felicia Spencer get mowed down by Amanda Nunes in June, Anderson will get her crack at the reigning featherweight queen at UFC 256 on Dec. 12.7. Jessy Miele (9-3) [7]
Miele wasn’t quite ready for the upgrade in competition she received at Bellator 244, as she was largely overwhelmed in a unanimous decision loss to former featherweight queen Julia Budd on Aug. 21. There’s no shame in losing to Budd, who has dominated the majority of her competition for the past eight years. Miele had a four-bout winning streak snapped in defeat.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 Kaitlin 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 column 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: Leslie Smith, Amanda Bell, Sinead Kavanagh, Olga Rubin, Cindy Dandois.
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