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Women’s Strawweight
1. Rose Namajunas (10-4) [1]
Namajunas authored perhaps the most shocking finish of anyone at UFC 261, when she floored Weili Zhang with a head kick and sealed her victory with follow-up hammerfists 1:18 into the opening round of their co-main event encounter. “Thug” Rose can now call herself a two-time UFC strawweight champion, making her the first woman in any weight class within the Las Vegas-based promotion to reclaim a title she had previously lost. Namajunas has run the gantlet in recent years, posting wins over pound-for-pound stalwarts like Zhang, Jessica Andrade and Joanna Jedrzejczyk (twice) since 2017. Up next is a rematch with Zhang at UFC 268.2. Weili Zhang (21-2) [2]
More than a year removed from her all-time classic battle with Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 248, Zhang saw a 21-bout professional winning streak come to an end at the hands – or more accurately, the foot – of Rose Namajunas at UFC 261. While Zhang seemed poised for stardom prior to her head-kick knockout loss to Namajunas on April 24, the 31-year-old Chinese star shouldn’t be too far removed from contention thanks to a record that included victories in her first five Octagon appearances. Zhang will get a chance to regain the strawweight belt in a rematch against Namajunas at UFC 268.3. Jessica Andrade (22-9) [3]
Andrade was in peak form at UFC 266, as she walked Cynthia Calvillo down and landed power punches until her opponent was unable to defend against the Brazilian’s onslaught at the 4:54 mark of Round 1 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Sept. 25. The former strawweight champion bounces back from a TKO loss to reigning 125-pound champ Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 261 while winning for the second time in three Octagon appearances since moving up to flyweight. Andrade currently ranks second in UFC women’s history in wins (13) and finishes (seven).4. Carla Esparza (18-6) [4]
Esparza ended Xiaonan Yan’s six-bout Octagon winning streak in the UFC Fight Night 188 co-main event, as she pummeled her opponent with punches and elbows from the crucifix position to earn a technical knockout victory in the second round of their encounter at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on May 22. That makes five consecutive victories for the promotion’s inaugural 115-pound queen, who has rebounded from an uninspiring 3-4 run from 2015 to 2018 to return to championship contention.5. Xiaonan Yan (13-2, 1 NC) [5]
Yan showed a serious deficiency in her defensive wrestling at UFC Fight Night 188, as she was taken down at will by Carla Esparza before being pounded out with punches and elbows from the crucifix position 2:58 into Round 2 of their co-main event bout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on May 22. It’s back to the drawing board for Yan, who entered the matchup with a six-fight UFC winning streak and legitimate championship aspirations.6. Marina Rodriguez (15-1-2) [7]
Rodriguez showcased a multi-faceted striking arsenal in a five-round verdict over Mackenzie Dern in the UFC Fight Night 194 main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Oct. 9. Perhaps more importantly, she was able to overcome adversity and survive when Dern held a dominant position on the canvas in Round 2. The Brazilian muay Thai specialist has won three straight fights and could be on the cusp of title contention at 115 pounds.7. Claudia Gadelha (18-5) [6]
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 2016.8. Tecia Torres (13-5) [8]
Some six years after taking a unanimous verdict against Angela Hill in their first meeting at UFC 188, Torres once again outpointed “Overkill” in their rematch at UFC 265 at the Toyota Center in Houston on Aug. 7. Torres has bounced back from a four-bout skid from 2018 to 2019 to post three consecutive victories, besting the likes of Hill, Sam Hughes and Brianna Van Buren to re-establish herself as a stern test for up-and-comers at 115 pounds.9. Michelle Waterson (18-9) [9]
Waterson was game as usual in a makeshift 125-pound headliner against Marina Rodriguez at UFC on ESPN 24, dropping a hard-fought unanimous verdict in May. Since it was a division above her normal class, the setback didn’t adversely affect Waterson’s standing at strawweight. Still, “The Karate Hottie” has lost three of her last four in UFC competition and will look to turn things around in her next Octagon appearance.10. Amanda Ribas (10-2) [10]
Ribas saw a four-bout winning streak come to an end at UFC 257, where she suffered a first-round technical knockout loss Marina Rodriguez in Abu Dhabi on Jan. 23. The Brazilian was supposed to return against Angela Hill in May and again in June, but a positive COVID test and lingering issues from the virus nixed those plans. Instead, the Marcelo Ribas Representative will square off against Virna Jandiroba at UFC 267 on Oct. 30.Other Contenders:Mackenzie Dern, Virna Jandiroba, Amanda Lemos, Nina Nunes, Seo Hee Ham.
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