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Women’s Bantamweight
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. Germaine de Randamie (9-4) [2]
De Randamie certainly had her moments against Amanda Nunes at UFC 245, but a lack of consistent takedown defense ultimately proved to be her undoing. “The Iron Lady” had some success on the feet and even threatened with a few submissions, but she was largely controlled on the canvas in losing a unanimous decision at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. A clash with Julianna Pena is in the works for Oct. 3.3. Holly Holm (13-5) [3]
Holm did just enough at UFC 246, as she neutralized Raquel Pennington in the clinch over the course of three rounds to earn a unanimous verdict in a rematch of a 2015 bout which was also won by “The Preacher’s Daughter.” While Holm still harbors dreams of UFC title contention, the Jackson-Wink MMA product will likely need a more memorable performance to warrant consideration. Still, Holm has won two of her last three Octagon appearances and remains one of the promotion’s most well-known females by virtue of her upset win against Ronda Rousey. A proposed matchup with Irene Aldana at UFC Fight Night 173 was postponed until Oct. 3 after Aldana tested positive for COVID-19.4. Aspen Ladd (9-1) [4]
Ladd rebounded from her disappointing loss to Germaine de Randamie this past summer in resounding fashion at UFC on ESPN 7, as she scored a third-round technical knockout victory against Yana Kunitskaya in Washington, D.C. One of the bantamweight division’s most ferocious competitors, Ladd has won four of her first five Octagon appearances. Ladd’s return to action against Sara McMann on June 27 was derailed due to a knee injury.5. Raquel Pennington (11-8) [5]
Pennington rode solid clinch work to a three-round verdict over Marion Reneau in a featured contest at UFC on ESPN 11. The former 135-pound title challenger has won two of her last three UFC bouts following a difficult 2018 that saw her lose lopsided bouts against Amanda Nunes and Germaine de Randamie.6. Irene Aldana (12-5) [6]
Aldana made a statement at UFC 245, knocking out the previously unbeaten Ketlen Vieira with a jumping left hook in the opening stanza of their preliminary bantamweight clash in Las Vegas. The Mexican fighter has now won five of her last six Octagon appearances and after besting an opponent who had been viewed as a top contender in the division, has to be on the short list of potential 135-pound title challengers. Aldana was supposed to lock horns with ex-champ Holly Holm on Aug. 1, but a positive COVID-19 test for Aldana put that fight on hold until Oct. 3.7. Yana Kunitskaya (13-5) [7]
It wasn’t pretty, but Kunitskaya bullied Julija Stoliarenko in the clinch for the better part of three rounds to earn a unanimous decision triumph in a featured bout at UFC Fight Night 174 in Las Vegas on Aug. 8. The 30-year-old Russian has been victorious in three of her four promotional appearances at 135 pounds, with her only setback during that time coming at the hands of Aspen Ladd in December 2019.8. Ketlen Vieira (10-1) [8]
Vieira kicked off her Ultimate Fighting Championship tenure with four straight victories, and after consecutive impressive performances against former title challengers Sara McMann and Cat Zingano, was considered to be a top contender for bantamweight gold. That momentum slowed somewhat after a prolonged absence, and in her first bout in more than a year she was shockingly knocked out in the opening stanza by Irene Aldana at UFC 245. Vieira will meet Yana Kunitskaya on Aug. 8.9. Sara McMann (12-5) [9]
McMann was completely dominant against Lina Lansberg at UFC Raleigh, earning scorecards of 30-26 and 30-25 in a unanimous decision triumph. It was an impressive return to the Octagon for the Olympic silver medalist, who hadn’t competed in nearly two years. At 39 years old, the former 135-pound title challenger still looks like a difficult test for virtually anyone in the division. McMann was supposed to take on rising contender Aspen Ladd on June 27, but Ladd was forced to withdraw from the bout due to injury.10. Lina Lansberg (10-5) [10]
Lansberg was unable to mount much of a threat against Olympic silver medalist wrestler Sara McMann, losing a lopsided unanimous verdict at UFC Fight Night 166 in Raleigh, N.C., on Jan. 25. “The Elbow Queen” had established some momentum in the bantamweight division following decision wins over Tonya Evinger and Macy Chiasson in 2019, but McMann demonstrated that the 37-year-old Swede still has some work to do to break into the division’s upper echelon.Other Contenders: Marion Reneau, Macy Chiasson, Julianna Pena, Sijara Eubanks, Julia Avila.
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