Sherdog’s Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

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Women’s Strawweight

1. Weili Zhang (21-1) [1]

One bout removed from a 42-second stoppage of Jessica Andrade, Zhang showcased an ability to prevail in a battle of attrition, as she outdueled Joanna Jedrzejczyk in a five-round classic to retain the strawweight crown in the UFC 248 co-main event. Zhang extended her winning streak to 21 thanks to superior punching power that left a grotesque hematoma on Jedrzejczyk’s forehead. Zhang’s victory was all the more impressive considering that her camp was altered due to coronavirus concerns in her homeland of China. Zhang and Jedrzejczyk could be destined for a rematch down the road, but it will be difficult to top their first meeting, which ranks as perhaps the greatest female fight of all time.

2. Rose Namajunas (9-4) [2]

A devastating slam KO defeat to Jessica Andrade at UFC 237 had Namajunas contemplating retirement, but ultimately “Thug” Rose decided against calling it a career. The former champion made a triumphant return to the Octagon at UFC 251, where she racked up on early lead on the scorecards and held off a hard-charging Andrade down the stretch for a split-decision triumph at “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi. While a trilogy with Andrade could be in store someday, Namajunas likely earned herself a shot at reigning 115-pound champion Weili Zhang.

3. Jessica Andrade (21-8) [3]

Andrade became the first woman to earn victories in three different weight classes at UFC Fight Night 180, as she dispatched former flyweight title challenger Katlyn Chookagian with body punches 4:55 into the opening round of their co-main event encounter in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 17. With an impressive victory in her 125-pound debut, the former strawweight queen already looks primed for a title shot in her new weight class.

4. Joanna Jedrzejczyk (16-4) [4]

Jedrzejczyk was all heart at UFC 248. Despite being left nearly unrecognizable by the end of her co-headlining bout with Weili Zhang, the Polish star never kept pressing the action in the strawweight championship clash. Although she outlanded her foe in significant strikes, Jedrzejczyk wasn’t as powerful as the Chinese champion in striking exchanges and came up just short in a split-decision defeat. Once one of the sport’s most dominant champions, Jedrzejczyk only raised her stock despite falling to 6-4 in UFC title fights.

5. Tatiana Suarez (8-0) [5]

Suarez may still very well be a future champion, but she showed some flaws in a victory over Nina Ansaroff at UFC 238. The American used her wrestling to bank two rounds on the judges’ scorecards, but faded in the third round. Perhaps even more concerning was Ansaroff’s ability to land offense in the final stanza. Nonetheless, Suarez captured a unanimous decision for her fifth consecutive triumph within the Las Vegas-based promotion. The Millennia MMA product could be an interesting potential foe for champion Weili Zhang, though she may need another victory to truly enter the title conversation.

6. Nina Ansaroff (10-6) [6]

Ansaroff didn’t beat the highly-touted Tatiana Suarez at UFC 238, but she did show some chinks in the American wrestler’s armor. Ansaroff spent most of the first two stanzas on her back but did a decent job neutralizing Suarez’s offense with her guard. In Round 3, Ansaroff took advantage of her tiring opponent to land 30 significant strikes — more than Suarez’s first four UFC foes combined. Nonetheless, Ansaroff dropped a unanimous decision to see her four-bout winning streak snapped. Ansaroff announced that she will be taking a year off from MMA to start a family with spouse Amanda Nunes.

7. Xiaonan Yan (13-1, 1 NC) [7]

Crisp combination punching and solid takedown defense carried Yan to the biggest win of her career to date, as she earned a unanimous decision triumph over former 115-pound title challenger Claudia Gadelha at UFC on ESPN 17. The 31-year-old China Top Team representative has kicked off her promotional tenure with six consecutive triumphs, a run that includes other notable victories against Karolina Kowalkiewicz and Angela Hill.

8. Claudia Gadelha (18-5) [8]

Unable to impose her will through grappling, Gadelha was outmatched on the feet in a decision loss to Xiaonan Yan at UFC on ESPN 17 on Nov. 7. That defeat halted some positive momentum for the 31-year-old Brazilian, who had won three of her previous four bouts entering the matchup with Yan. It’s now been more than four years since Gadelha challenged for strawweight gold at “The Ultimate Fighter 23” finale in July 2016.

9. Carla Esparza (17-6) [9]

Esparza relied on her wrestling and top control to eke out a split-decision triumph over Marina Rodriguez in a clash of strawweight contenders at UFC on ESPN 14. Despite being bloodied and battered, “Cookie Monster” showed her grit and will in earning her fourth consecutive triumph in the Las Vegas-based promotion. Esparza is still eyeing a rematch with Claudia Gadelha in the future.

10. Cynthia Calvillo (9-2-1) [10]

Calvillo was unable to get inside against Katlyn Chookagian at UFC 255, and the result was a clear-cut unanimous decision defeat in her second appearance at 125 pounds at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Nov. 21. After an impressive five-round showing against Jessica Eye in her flyweight debut this past June, Calvillo struggled against another former title challenger to lose for just the second time in nine Octagon appearances.

Other Contenders: Marina Rodriguez, Tecia Torres, Michelle Waterson, Brianna Van Buren, Alexa Grasso.

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