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Women’s Flyweight
1. Alexa Grasso (16-3) | UFC [1]
Those who were looking ahead to Valentina Shevchenko’s next title defense against Erin Blanchfield obviously forgot about Grasso. The Mexican standout authored what figures to be one of the biggest upsets of 2023, as she submitted Shevchenko in the fourth-round of their co-headlining encounter at UFC 285. Grasso extends her own winning streak to five and becomes the third female flyweight title holder in UFC history. Considering Shevchenko’s previous dominance, an immediate rematch could be in store for Grasso’s first title defense.2. Valentina Shevchenko (23-4) | UFC [2]
Shevchenko lost in stunning fashion at UFC 285, falling victim to a face crank from Alexa Grasso after missing the mark on an ill-advised spinning back kick in the fourth-round of their co-main event encounter. Given Shevchenko’s struggles against Taila Santos in her previous outing, perhaps her fall against Grasso shouldn’t be so surprising. Regardless, “Bullet’s” dominance at 125 pounds will likely warrant another championship opportunity — perhaps in a rematch with Grasso — in the near future.3. Liz Carmouche (18-7) | Bellator [3]
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. Carmouche will look to make her second successful title defense against Justine Kish at Bellator 294.4.Erin Blanchfield (11-1) UFC [4]
While Blanchfield has been on the radar as a future contender for some time now, her ascent to the top of the flyweight division accelerated following a second-round submission of Jessica Andrade in the UFC Fight Night 219 headliner. With five consecutive victories in UFC competition — including three via submission — “Cold Blooded” appears to be a serious threat to Valentina Shevchenko at just 23 years old. She will be an interested observer when Shevchenko defends her 125-pound belt against Alexa Grasso at UFC 285.5. Jessica Andrade (24-10) | UFC [5]
Andrade’s decision to accept a short-notice fight against Erin Blanchfield backfired, as she was submitted in the second round of their flyweight headliner at UFC Fight Night 219. That halts any momentum the Brazilian might have hoped to build at 125 pounds on the heels of a victory over Lauren Murphy at UFC 283. However, Andrade still has options at strawweight, where she will return for a clash with Xiaonan Yan at UFC 288.6. Manon Fiorot (10-1) | UFC [6]
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.7. Juliana Velasquez (12-2) | Bellator [7]
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.8. Katlyn Chookagian (18-5) | UFC [8]
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.9. Taila Santos (19-2) | UFC [9]
Santos used on clinch work, takedowns and positional control to throw a scare into reigning flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko 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. Santos’ scheduled return against Erin Blanchfield at UFC Fight Night 219 hit a snag when her cornermen were unable to secure visas for the bout, which ultimately resulted in the Brazilian pulling out of the event.10. Lauren Murphy (16-6) | UFC [10]
Murphy proved to be too tough for her own good at UFC 283, as she absorbed a hellacious beating in a lopsided unanimous decision loss against Jessica Andrade in Rio de Janeiro. The 39-year-old known as “Lucky” still boasts a 6-2 Octagon record since 2019, but she hasn’t been competitive in back-to-back losses to Andrade and Valentina Shevchenko. That likely relegates Murphy to the gatekeeper role in the UFC for as long as she is willing to keep fighting.Other Contenders: Amanda Ribas, Viviane Araujo, Jennifer Maia, Casey O'Neill, Maycee Barber.
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