Image: John Brannigan/Sherdog.com illustration
Women’s Flyweight
1. Valentina Shevchenko (23-3) | UFC [1]
Shevchenko survived the most difficult title defense of her career to date, edging Taila Santos via split decision in the UFC 275 co-main event at Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore on June 11. For much of the bout, “Bullet” struggled against her Brazilian foe in the clinch and on the mat, but the reigning flyweight queen got stronger as the fight progressed to earn her eighth victory in a UFC championship bout. Given the competitive nature of the fight, perhaps the calls for Shevchenko to move up to bantamweight will cease for the time being, as a rematch with Santos could potentially be in store.2. Liz Carmouche (18-7) | Bellator [2]
After a controversial stoppage tainted her championship-winning triumph over Juliana Velasquez in April, Carmouche authored a more emphatic victory in the rematch at Bellator 289, overwhelming her adversary with pressure, clinch work and takedowns en route to a second-round armbar at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. “Girl-Rilla” has won five consecutive contests since joining the California-based promotion, and her reign atop the Bellator flyweight division helps to erase the sting of failed title opportunities in two different weight classes in the UFC.3. Jessica Andrade (23-9) | UFC [4]
After a three-bout stint at 125 pounds that saw her fail in a bid to capture championship gold against Valentina Shevchenko, Andrade made an impressive return to strawweight with a first-round submission of surging contender Amanda Lemos in the UFC Fight Night 205 main event on April 23. Not only did Andrade reassert herself as a person of interest in the division, but she also authored the first standing arm-triangle choke submission in the history of the Las Vegas-based promotion. Andrade will return against Lauren Murphy in a flyweight clash at UFC 283.4. Manon Fiorot (10-1) | UFC [5]
Unfazed by her opponent’s weight miss one day prior, Fiorot outdueled Katlyn Chookagian on the feet en route to a unanimous decision triumph at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi. It wasn’t an overwhelming performance for the Frenchwoman, but the victory is nonetheless significant because it isn’t easy to look good against Chookagian. “The Beast” has won five straight in UFC competition and 10 in a row overall.5. Juliana Velasquez (12-2) | Bellator [3]
Velasquez had at least a somewhat legitimate gripe that her first meeting with Liz Carmouche was stopped prematurely, but that wasn’t the case the second time around, as “Girl-Rilla” overwhelmed the Brazilian for a second-round armbar finish in the Bellator 289 co-main event. After posting victories in her first 12 professional outings, the 36-year-old Team Nogueira representative has dropped back-to-back fights, making another title shot unlikely as long as Carmouche holds the strap.6. Katlyn Chookagian (18-5) | UFC [6]
After missing weight by 1.5 pounds, Chookagian’s typical game plan fell flat against Manon Fiorot, as she dropped a unanimous decision at UFC 280. In a bout that was contested primarily on the feet, Chookagian was competitive as always but usually a step behind her French opponent in seeing a four-bout winning streak snapped. That defeat, coupled with her issues on the scale, keeps “Blonde Fighter” on the outside looking in when it comes to the flyweight title picture.7. Taila Santos (19-2) | UFC [7]
Santos used on clinch work, takedowns and positional control to throw a scare into reigning flyweight champion UFC 275, but the Brazilian ultimately came up short in a competitive split-decision defeat. Down the stretch, Santos appeared to be compromised from a partially closed right eye that occurred as a result of an accidental clash of heads in Round 3. Whether that was the difference in the bout will remain a mystery, but Santos figures to at least be in the conversation for an immediate rematch after giving Shevchenko her toughest test at 125 pounds to date.8. Lauren Murphy (16-5) | UFC [8]
The UFC was all but ready to insert Miesha Tate into the flyweight championship picture, but Murphy had other plans, as she battered and bloodied the ex-bantamweight queen en route to a unanimous decision triumph at UFC on ABC 3. It was an important statement for Murphy, who was coming off a lopsided loss to Valentina Shevchenko in a title bout at UFC 266. While she might not be in line for a rematch as long as “Bullet” is champ, Murphy remains a top contender by virtue of her 6-1 UFC record since 2019. Next, Murphy will meet Jessica Andrade at UFC 283.9. Alexa Grasso (15-3) | UFC [9]
Grasso was up to the test in her first main event appearance, as she earned a five-round verdict against Viviane Araujo at UFC Fight Night 212 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Oct. 15. The Lobo Gym MMA product is now 4-0 since moving up to 125 pounds and owns notable wins over ranked foes in Araujo and Joanne Wood. Grasso might not yet be next in line for a title shot, but another victory could put her at the top of the list.10. Viviane Araujo (11-4) | UFC [10]
Araujo came up short in the UFC Fight Night 212 headliner, dropping a unanimous decision to Alexa Grasso on Oct. 15 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Araujo was competitive in the bout but couldn’t match the volume of her opponent on the feet, nor could she consistently get the fight to the canvas. The 35-year-old Brazilian has lost two of her last three promotional appearances and faces an uphill climb to make it to the top of the division.Other Contenders: Jennifer Maia, Casey O'Neill, Maycee Barber, Erin Blanchfield, Miranda Maverick.
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