Ben Duffy/Sherdog.com illustration
Women’s Bantamweight
1. Amanda Nunes (17-4)
Nunes became just the third simultaneous two-division champion in UFC history when she knocked out Cristiane Justino in just 51 seconds to claim featherweight gold at UFC 232. Nunes needed just three seconds longer to dispatch “Cyborg” than she did when she demolished former pound-for-pound queen Ronda Rousey two years earlier at UFC 207. With a resume that also includes wins over the likes of UFC flyweight champ Valentina Shevchenko (twice), Bellator featherweight titlist Julia Budd, Miesha Tate, Germaine de Randamie and Raquel Pennington, “Lioness” has a legitimate claim to being the greatest female mixed martial artist of all time. She’ll look to add to the list with a bantamweight title defense against Holly Holm at UFC 239.2. Germaine de Randamie (8-3)
De Randamie’s brief reign as featherweight champion may go down as only a footnote in UFC history, but “The Iron Lady” looks like a tough out at 135 pounds. In her first bout since February 2017, the kickboxer stymied former title challenger Raquel Pennington at every turn, earning a unanimous verdict in a featured bantamweight tilt at UFC Fight Night Denver. The Netherlands native has won four straight bouts dating back to 2015.3. Holly Holm (11-4)
Holm entered mixed martial arts known as a boxing world champion, but her skills have gradually evolved over the years. That was most evident at UFC 225, where the Jackson-Wink MMA representative outwrestled and outgrappled Octagon newcomer Megan Anderson in a relatively easy decision triumph. Holm was expected to return to face Aspen Ladd at UFC 235, but the proposed bout was scrapped a month before the event. After initially being rumored to face Amanda Nunes at UFC 237, Holm’s team balked at facing the bantamweight queen in Brazil. Instead, Holm will square off against Nunes for 135-pound gold in Las Vegas at UFC 239.4. Ketlen Vieira (10-0)
Do not be fooled by the split decision result: Vieira was largely dominant in her victory over Cat Zingano at UFC 222 thanks to her takedowns and suffocating top game. After having handily dispatched ex-title challengers in Zingano and Sara McMann in her last two outings -- and with a 4-0 record overall in the Octagon -- the 26-year-old Brazilian should be on the short list of top contenders at 135 pounds. Vieira was paired with former Invicta Fighting Championships titleholder Tonya Evinger at UFC Fight Night 137 on Sept. 22 but was forced to withdraw due to a knee injury.5. Aspen Ladd (7-0)
Ladd added a nice feather to her cap at UFC 229, authoring a first-round stoppage of former Invicta FC champion Tonya Evinger. Not only did Ladd put Evinger away faster than featherweight champion Cristiane Justino did, but her ferocious, screaming ground-and-pound salvo made a lasting impression. Ladd improved to 2-0 in the Octagon and put the issues on the scales that led to a canceled bout against Leslie Smith at UFC Fight Night 128 squarely in her rearview mirror. Ladd was booked against ex-champ Holly Holm at UFC 235, but promotion head Dana White announced the bout was off about a month before the event. Instead, Ladd will square off against Sijara Eubanks at UFC Fight Night in Rochester, N.Y., on May 18.6. Cat Zingano (10-4)
It was something of an anticlimactic featherweight debut in the Octagon for Zingano, whose UFC 232 matchup with Megan Anderson ended prematurely when “Alpha” Cat suffered an eye injury due to a kick. Zingano has lost four of her last five bouts, dating back to a loss in a 135-pound title bout against Ronda Rousey at UFC 184.7. Raquel Pennington (9-7)
The four-fight winning streak that earned Pennington a title shot — and featured victories over Miesha Tate and Jessica Andrade — feels like a distant memory now. Returning to action following a lopsided defeat to Amanda Nunes at UFC 224, Pennington struggled to make much happen in a clear-cut decision loss to Germaine de Randamie at UFC Fight Night Denver. “Rocky” now owns a 6-4 promotional mark but will need to regain some momentum in 2019.8. Tonya Evinger (19-7)
Evinger’s introduction to the UFC has been difficult, to say the least. After moving up a weight class to endure a pummeling from featherweight queen Cristiane Justino in her Octagon debut, Evinger returned to 135 pounds at UFC 229, where she absorbed a brutal barrage of ground-and-pound against Aspen Ladd in a first-round TKO defeat. Prior to signing with the UFC, the ex-Invicta FC champ had been unbeaten in 11 bouts from September 2011 to March 2017. Evinger will attempt to earn her first Octagon triumph against Lina Lansberg at UFC Stockholm on June 1.9. Yana Kunitskaya (12-4)
Kunitskaya’s face was a bloody mess following a rough third round against Marion Reneau at UFC Wichita, but fortunately the Russian competitor had already banked the first two frames to earn a unanimous decision in their bantamweight encounter. The former Invicta FC titlist has now won two straight UFC appearances at 135 pounds since falling to Cristiane Justino in a featherweight title bout in her Octagon debut.10. Marion Reneau (9-5-1)
Reneau certainly left her mark on Yana Kunitskaya at UFC Fight Night 146, battering and bloodying her opponent’s nose with punches in the third round of their encounter in Wichita, Kan., on March 9. However, “The Belizean Bruiser” was clearly outstruck for the majority of the fight, resulting in a unanimous decision defeat. After compiling a four-fight unbeaten streak from November 2016 to February 2018, Reneau has dropped back-to-back fights against Kunitskaya and Cat Zingano.Other Contenders: Irene Aldana, Lucie Pudilova, Bethe Correia, Sarah Kaufman, Macy Chiasson.
Continue Reading » Women’s Flyweight