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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 three fighters to successfully defend UFC titles in two different weight classes. “Lioness” was supposed to return for another 145-pound title defense against Megan Anderson at UFC 256 on Dec. 12 but was forced to withdraw from the bout due to undisclosed reasons. The title bout has been rebooked for UFC 259.2. Cristiane Justino (23-2, 1 NC) [2]
Justino’s first featherweight title defense in Bellator was a breeze, as she dominated Arlene Blencowe en route to a rear-naked choke victory in the second round of the Bellator 249 headliner — the first submission triumph of the powerful Brazilian’s MMA career. “Cyborg” has won three straight contests since her upset loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 232 and appears poised for a dominant reign as 145-pound champ in the California-based promotion.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 (13-8) [5]
Blencowe was in survival mode against Cristiane Justino from the outset of the Bellator 249 main event, and she eventually succumbed to a rear-naked choke at the 2:36 mark of Round 2 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, on Oct. 15. Dating back to 2016, the Aussie’s only two losses in nine professional appearances have come at the hands of female pound-for-pound stalwarts “Cyborg” and Julia Budd.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. Anderson was scheduled to get her crack at Amanda Nunes at UFC 256 before the reigning featherweight queen withdrew from the bout. Instead, Anderson and Nunes will square off at UFC 259.7. Pam Sorenson (8-3) [7]
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 in August 2019. The 33-year-old Blaine, Minn., native has won three of her last four appearances within the all-female organization.8. Janay Harding (6-5) [8]
Harding took a step toward contention in Bellator’s shallow featherweight division with a three-round verdict over Jessy Miele at Bellator 251 on Nov. 5. The 26-year-old Aussie has now won three of her last four appearances within the California-based promotion after a rough beginning to her professional MMA career.9. Leslie Smith (12-8-1) [9]
A unanimous decision triumph over Amanda Bell at Bellator 245 on Sept. 11 keeps Smith in the thick of things in the promotion’s featherweight division. “The Peacemaker” has won four of her last five professional outings, with a loss to two-time title challenger Arlene Blencowe the only blemish on her ledger during that stretch.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: Jessy Miele, Amanda Bell, Sinead Kavanagh, Olga Rubin, Kayla Harrison.
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