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Women’s Featherweight
1. Amanda Nunes (23-5) | UFC [1]
Nunes was rarely threatened in a lopsided unanimous decision triumph over Irene Aldana in the UFC 289 headliner, and she capped off that performance by announcing her retirement from mixed martial arts. “Lioness” exits the sport as a two-division champion and arguably the most accomplished female fighter of all-time with a resume that includes wins over the likes of Cristiane Justino, Valentina Shevchenko (twice), Ronda Rousey, Holly Holm, Miesha Tate, Germaine de Randamie and Julianna Pena. While Nunes leaves a potential trilogy with Pena on the table, she really had nothing left to accomplish in a decorated career. If her retirement holds up, Nunes’ rankings eligibility will expire on June 10, 2024.2. Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino (26-2, 1 NC) | Bellator [2]
It took a little bit longer than their first meeting, but “Cyborg” nonetheless improved to 2-0 against Arlene Blencowe with a unanimous decision triumph in the Bellator 279 main event at Neil S. Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu, Hawaii. The reigning featherweight queen has won six straight since her shocking loss to Amanda Nunes in December 2018 and still looks to be head and shoulders above the 145-pound field in Bellator. After an extended layoff that included a pair of boxing matches, Justino has re-signed with Bellator and is expected to defend her crown against Cat Zingano in the near future.3. Macy Chiasson (8-3) | UFC [3]
Chiasson was engaged in a back-and-forth bout with Irene Aldana at UFC 279 when her Mexican opponent pulled off an unlikely finish: an upkick to the liver 2:21 into the third round of their 140-pound catchweight clash. While the loss doesn’t affect Chiasson’s standing at either featherweight or bantamweight, it was still a chance to make a statement in front of a pay-per-view audience. “The Ultimate Fighter 28” winner has lost two of her last three promotional appearances.4. Norma Dumont (10-2) | UFC [4]
Dumont cruised past an overmatched Chelsea Chandler at UFC on ESPN 49, blending crisp striking with takedowns and top control in a clear-cut unanimous decision triumph. Though the future of the women’s featherweight division is unclear in the wake of Amanda Nunes’ retirement, Dumont remains adamant that the promotion should keep the weight class around. If it does stick, Dumont, who is No. 1 all-time with five 145-pound victories, figures to be at the top of the list for title contenders.5. Larissa Pacheco (21-4) PFL [5]
After back-to-back decision wins, tt was a return to form at PFL 5 for Pacheco, who blitzed through Amber Leibrock for a technical knockout victory in just 45 seconds at Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta. Pacheco clinched a spot in the the PFL postseason with the win, and she will likely be the favorite as she continues on her quest to become a two-division champion in the organization.6. Cat Zingano (14-4) | Bellator [6]
Zingano kept her momentum going in the Bellator 293 co-main event, taking a hard-fought unanimous verdict against Leah McCourt at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, California. The former UFC bantamweight title challenger is positioned for a 145-pound title shot in the California-based promotion against the recently re-signed Cristiane Justino, though a date for that matchup has yet to be announced.7. Sara McMann (14-6) | Bellator [7]
McMann enjoyed a successful promotional debut at Bellator 294, as she earned a convincing unanimous decision against two-time featherweight title challenger Arlene Blencowe. The 42-year-old Olympic silver medalist proved she has plenty of juice in a new weight class, and the victory puts her on the short list of top contenders in Bellator at 145 pounds.8. Sinead Kavanagh (9-5) | Bellator [8]
After a knee injury sidelined her for approximately one year, Kavanagh made a triumphant return at Bellator 291, as she earned a unanimous decision against Janay Harding in a rematch of a 2018 encounter. It wasn’t always pretty, but the 37-year-old SBG Ireland product has now won four of her last five outings under the Bellator MMA banner. The Dublin native will return to action agains new contender Sara Collins at Bellator 299.9. Sara Collins (4-0) Bellator [9]
Collins announced her presence in impressive fashion at Bellator 293, as she submitted former Invicta FC title holder Pam Sorenson with a first-round scarf hold armlock in her promotional debut. It’s by far the most notable victory to date for the Australian judoka, whose first three professional opponents owned a combined three wins to their credit. Collins will next face former featherweight title challenger Sinead Kavanagh at Bellator 299.10. Leah McCourt (7-3) Bellator [10]
McCourt was quite competitive against Cat Zingano in the Bellator 293 co-headliner, but ultimately “The Curse” dropped a unanimous decision to the UFC veteran. While the setback is undoubtedly damaging to the Northern Ireland native’s title hopes at 145 pounds, she has still won six of eight outings in Bellator. In a division as shallow as featherweight, McCourt might only need another notable win or two to climb right back into championship contention.Other Contenders: Arlene Blencowe, Aspen Ladd, Julia Budd, Pam Sorenson, Josiane Nunes.
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