Breaking Barriers
The Best Women’s Fights in UFC History
On The Occasion of International Women's Day, We Look Back On Some Of The Greatest Performances
On International Women's Day, We Look Back On Some Of The Greatest Performances
Zhang Weili vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk (UFC 248)
Zhang Weili and Joanna Jedrzejczyk delivered the greatest fight in women’s MMA history at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and when it was over, the result of the UFC 248 co-main event was almost secondary due to the epic nature of the bout, but it was Zhang retaining her UFC strawweight title for the first time via five-round split decision in a fight that raised the stock of both ladies and the sport.
Scores were 48-47 twice and 47-48 for Zhang, now 21-1. Jedrzejczyk falls to 16-4.
Both fighters were busy to start, but a minute in, Jedrzejczyk landed a hard right hand upstairs and her combinations at close range had the former champ smiling and in the lead. Zhang began to find her rhythm midway through the frame, though, and she was throwing with power every time, clearly getting Jedrzejczyk’s attention.
Resuming their high-volume striking battle in round two, Jedrzejczyk was mixing things up nicely, and in the second minute, the two locked up against the fence, taking turns in control, with Zhang landing elbows and Jedrzejczyk responding with knees. With a little over two minutes left, Zhang rattled Jedrzejczyk with a right hand, forcing the Poland native to reset. By the end of the round, the crowd was roaring at the fast-paced action, but Zhang’s eye was rapidly swelling.
Zhang came out fast for round three and got in some hard shots before Jedrzejczyk settled back in and continued unleashing combinations. And once Jedrzejczyk switched to southpaw, she had more success. With two minutes left, Zhang locked up with Jedrzejczyk briefly, and once they broke, it was Zhang roaring back, raising a welt on the challenger’s head in the process. But Jedrzejczyk finished the round strong, making it another nightmare for the judges to score.
The high-level action continued in round four, with neither fighter backing down and each taking turns rocking the other. And while Zhang was in the championship rounds for the first time, she was still swinging for the fences, but it was Jedrzejczyk who was clearly the fresher of the two. With two minutes left, Zhang landed a hard shot to the forehead, but Jedrzejczyk kept moving forward, landing an elbow before the two locked up against the fence. Jedrzejczyk glanced at the clock in the final 30 seconds, but that didn’t stop her from bringing the heat.
Ronda Rousey vs. Liz Carmouche (UFC 157)
The first women’s bout in UFC history, the arrival of Rousey to the biggest stage in the sport was a cultural moment and a crucial point in the growth and development of the organization. Early in the fight, however, it looked as if the unbeaten champion might not enjoy a lengthy reign at the top.
As she had in Strikeforce bouts against championship talents like Marloes Coenen and Sarah Kaufman, Carmouche entered the cage ready to push Rousey to her limits and became the first fighter to really threaten the former Olympic medalist.
Early in the bout, Carmouche took Rousey’s back and clamped on a neck crank that had fans on the edge of their seats and put Rousey on the defensive, but the champion escaped and eventually turned the tables, finishing her first bout in the Octagon the way she had each of her previous five fights – with a submission win via armbar before the opening five minutes had elapsed.
Cat Zingano vs. Miesha Tate (The Ultimate Fighter 17 Finale)
While the first women’s bantamweight fight will always be remembered for its historic significance, the second has a place in the annals of time because of its sheer awesomeness. It’s been just over five years since these two women shared the cage in Las Vegas and it still might be the best scrap on the women’s side of the sport to take place inside the Octagon.
This one was emotional and intense from the jump as Zingano cried on her way to the cage before steeling herself for battle, while Tate entered as game and focused as ever. Through the opening two rounds, the former Strikeforce and future UFC titleholder got the better of things, edging ahead in a pair of close frames, but in the third, Zingano’s aggression and ferocity took over.
An early takedown created a chance to open up with strikes and batter Tate, who showed her trademark heart in continuing to battle through and work to her feet. But as she did, Zingano planted her back on the canvas with a knee with several more following as she once again regrouped and looked to stand, bringing the bout to a sudden, dramatic halt
Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Claudia Gadelha I (UFC on FOX: Dos Santos vs. Miocic)
You know when filmmakers become massive successes and people go back to check out some of their earlier efforts, only to discover that they were just as terrific before everyone in the world caught on? That’s kind of what this fight feels like to me.
Tucked away as the final preliminary card bout of the evening, Jedrzejczyk and Gadelha would eventually gain recognition as two of the top female fighters in the world and burgeoning stars in the UFC, but on this evening, they were unheralded contenders who went toe-to-toe in an agonizingly close fight where the outcome is still debated to this day.
Jedrzejczyk landed on the happy side of the split decision verdict in the desert and went on to challenge for the strawweight title in her next bout, while the controversial loss never sat well with Gadelha and became the basis for a heated rivalry between the two – one that would come to a head 18 months later.
Holly Holm vs. Ronda Rousey (UFC 193)
After 12 consecutive victories, six straight successful title defenses and four wins in a combined two minutes and 10 seconds, Rousey entered this one at the height of her powers and having crossed over into the mainstream, having announced this matchup on Good Morning America.
In front of the largest crowd in UFC history at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, Australia, she charged into the cage looking to add Holm to her list of vanquished foes, only to find out that the former multiple-time world champion boxer had other ideas.
Holm played the part of the matador perfectly, sidestepping and countering Rousey’s aggressive advances with precision, frustrating the dominant champion from the jump. It quickly became apparent that a changing of the guard atop the women’s bantamweight division was in the offing and less than a minute into the second frame, Holm officially shocked the world, blasting Rousey with a high kick that brought her reign to an abrupt end.
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Just as Rousey’s first appearance in the Octagon was a “Where were you when?” moment, so too was the night she was knocked from her throne and the ranks of the unbeaten. For the record, I was at home, watching in amazement like everyone else.
Miesha Tate vs. Holly Holm (UFC 196)
Even though it stands as one of the most unexpected comeback wins in UFC history – and a title changed hands as a result – this one has gotten overshadowed a little because Conor McGregor and Nathan Diaz followed this pair into the cage and delivered another memorable bout with a surprise finish right after them.
That being said, Tate’s come from behind performance her against Holm stands as the perfect representation of her career, as she earned this win through sheer determination and heart… and a pretty deep rear naked choke too.
Entering the fifth round, Holm was up 3-1 on the scorecards and had done an admirable job of keeping the fight standing. In space, she was able to get the better of the striking exchanges and keep Tate at range. The one round where she couldn’t, Tate controlled the action on the canvas, pressuring with offense and hunting for a choke.
With two minutes left in the final frame, Tate spun Holm to the floor and stuck to her back like glue as the champion looked to scramble free. As Holm stood, Tate fished her forearm under the neck and maintained control as Holm tried to shake her off. Falling to the canvas, Tate tightened her squeeze and with just 90 seconds remaining in the contest, Holm went out and Tate had completed one of the most improbable come-from-behind victories in UFC history.
Amanda Nunes vs. Valentina Shevchenko I (UFC 196)
If Tate’s bout with Holm has been slightly overshadowed by the subsequent Diaz-McGregor clash and the rivalry it spawned, this bout was initially buried coming out of UFC 196, but that doesn’t change that it was a terrific back-and-forth battle.
Nunes entered on a two-fight winning streak and brandishing fight-changing power. Shevchenko arrived off a short-notice decision win over former Strikeforce champ Sarah Kaufman in her promotional debut. In the early going, Nunes rushed out to a lead, controlling the action with her grappling and putting it on the UFC newcomer.
In the third, however, Shevchenko rallied, scoring a takedown of her own early before outworking the tired Brazilian on the feet for the remainder of the frame. While Nunes rightfully took home the close decision win, the feeling on press row was that Shevchenko had all the momentum and things might have been different if this were a five-round fight.
We eventually got to see that play out as Nunes rose to the top of the division and Shevchenko emerged as the No. 1 contender, leading to their close championship showdown at UFC 215 in Edmonton, which saw “The Lioness” retain her title by split decision.
Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Claudia Gadelha II (The Ultimate Fighter 23 Finale)
While their first fight transpired in the shadows, their second encounter had the full attention of the MMA audience and did not disappoint, as the championship headliners turned in one of the best bouts of all-time.
Gadelha came out hard and fast, pressing the action against Jedrzejczyk and controlling the opening 10 minutes with intense pressure, strong grappling and sharp boxing. After the challenger controlled the opening portion of the middle stanza, Jedrzejczyk worked her way out of scrambles and strolled back to the center of the cage with confidence, motioning for her Brazilian rival to meet her on the feet.
It proved to be a clear turning point in the fight as from there out, Jedrzejczyk was in complete control, distancing herself from Gadelha down the stretch en route to a unanimous decision victory and a 2-0 advantage in head-to-head competition.
Jessica Andrade vs. Angela Hill (UFC Fight Night: Bermudez vs. Korean Zombie)
Although they opened the main card, Andrade and Hill combined to steal the show during this Super Bowl Saturday event in Houston, Texas, as the strawweight contenders delivered 15 minutes of non-stop action in this 2017 classic.
After a solid run in the bantamweight ranks, Andrade had proven herself as a force in the 115-pound weight division with consecutive stoppage wins over Jessica Penne and Joanne Calderwood, while Hill returned to the Octagon following a 4-0 run under the Invicta FC banner in 2016 which saw her win and defend the company’s strawweight title.
These two came out swinging from the start and never let off the throttle, with Andrade constantly pressing forward (as she does) and Hill refusing to yield (as she does), resulting in a wildly entertaining affair that earned the Brazilian a victory and shot at the title and Hill some long overdue recognition as one of the top talents in the division.
Marion Reneau vs. Sara McMann (UFC on FOX: Emmett vs. Stephens)
The first of two 2018 offerings on this list, Reneau’s win over McMann really played out as a tale of two fights.
In the opening act, the Olympic silver medalist and former title challenger was in complete control. McMann took the fight to the canvas a minute into the first round and kept it there the rest of the way, advancing to a mounted crucifix and dominating the action for nearly three full minutes.
In the second, Reneau kept it standing until she stung McMann with a clean right hand that prompted a takedown attempt from her dazed opponent. While McMann eventually put Reneau on her back, the 40-year-old contender instantly threw up her legs to attack with a triangle and as McMann looked to defend the series of elbows coming her way, “The Belizean Bruiser” tightened her choke and secured the tap to complete her comeback.
Rose Namajunas vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk (UFC 223)
After unseating Jedrzejczyk from the strawweight throne at UFC 217, many questioned if Namajunas’ victory was a perfect storm situation – a case where she had her absolute best performance while the champion stepped into the Octagon at less than 100 percent.
Five months later, Namajunas proved she is the genuine article, starting hot like she did the first time around before rallying in the final frame to salt away her first successful title defense.
It was an outstanding contest that cemented Namajunas’ standing atop the division and showed her championship mettle.
Amanda Nunes vs. Valentina Shevchenko II (UFC 215)
It was close and competitive for 25 minutes, but as the UFC 215 main event between Amanda Nunes and Valentina Shevchenko ended with a Nunes victory by five-round split decision at Rogers Place in Edmonton, it’s clear that with a trio of consecutive victories over Miesha Tate, Ronda Rousey and Shevchenko that the Brazilian may be settling in for a long reign at the top.
Scores were 48-47 twice and 47-48 for Nunes, who successfully defended her 135-pound crown for the second time as she repeated her 2016 victory over Shevchenko, which she earned by a close three-round decision.
The two traded kicks in the early going, neither surging into the lead. But as the round progressed, it was the champion who began to take an edge as she stayed busy while keeping Shevchenko on the end of her strikes. Shevchenko’s patience began paying off late in the round as she started to land counters, but Nunes was calm under pressure when the frame ended.
The war of nerves continued in round two, but Shevchenko got busier as Nunes’ work rate dropped slightly, allowing “Bullet” to pull even on the cards heading into the third.
Neither fighter was able to pull ahead significantly in the third, a testament to the evenly matched nature of the bout, and while Nunes marched forward, Shevchenko fired back counters, leaving the scoring of the round down to what the judges put more stock in.
The Bahia native looked charged up entering the fourth round for the first time in her career, and she came out fast to start the frame, continuing to work behind kicks to the leg and quick punches upstairs. Shevchenko continued to get her shots in, but she wasn’t busy enough to get Nunes’ attention for any length of time. Midway through the stanza, Shevchenko scored with a nice combination at long range, and she started putting her strikes together effectively as Nunes slowed down.
With the bout possibly up for grabs, both fighters kicked off the final round with a heated exchange which, not surprisingly, was an even one. From there, it was clear that both wanted to finish strong, with Shevchenko being aggressive in her attempt to take the title and Nunes picking her shots and even trying for a takedown in order to keep the belt. With under two minutes left, Shevchenko tried to turn a Nunes takedown into a throw, but Nunes ended up on her back on the mat. Shevchenko got back to her feet, but it was Nunes going all-in for another takedown, and she got it with less than a minute remaining. Shevchenko fired off strikes from her back, but Nunes wouldn’t give up the top position, and that’s where she would remain until the horn sounded to end the fight.
Amanda Nunes vs. Cris Cyborg (UFC 232)
Amanda Nunes made history in more ways than one at The Forum in Inglewood. With her stunning 51-second knockout of Cris Cyborg in the co-main event of UFC 232, Nunes became the first woman to hold UFC titles in two divisions, the third fighter to hold two titles simultaneously and the first fighter to beat her fellow Brazilian in over 13 years.
That’s one heck of a Saturday night for “The Lioness,” the UFC women’s bantamweight champion who now has a UFC women’s featherweight belt to put in her trophy case, along with a list of wins over Cyborg, Ronda Rousey, Miesha Tate and Valentina Shevchenko.
Sounds like a Hall of Fame resume already, and if there are any doubters, they likely were silenced in the City of Angels.
There was no feeling out process in this one, with Cyborg and Nunes getting after it immediately. But in the midst of the exchanges, Nunes proved to be the faster and more accurate striker, with right hands producing several flash knockdowns before a final right hand ended Cyborg’s night, with referee Marc Goddard stepping in to halt the fight 51 seconds into the fight.
Jessica Andrade vs. Claudia Gadelha (UFC Fight Night: Saint Preux vs. Okami)
Jessica Andrade and Claudia Gadelha put on a show in Japan, with the future strawweight champion earning an unanimous decision victory. Andrade threw over 350 strikes in the fight, peppering the ultra tough Gadelha for much of the bout. It was a co-main event that lived up to the hype and had the fans inside Saitama Super Arena cheering.
Rose Namajunas vs. Jessica Andrade II (UFC 251)
Former strawweight champions Rose Namajunas and Jessica Andrade met for a second time, with Namajunas evening the score with the woman who took her title in May 2019 by winning a three-round split decision.
Scores were 29-28 twice and 28-29 for the No. 2-ranked Namajunas, now 10-4. The No. 1-ranked Andrade falls to 20-8.
Andrade made a concerted effort to use more head movement in the rematch, and it paid dividends in the first round, as she was able to dodge a lot of incoming fire while landing some hard shots. Regardless, the busy and varied striking of Namajunas still saw her taking the round from the Brazilian.
Watch The Fight On UFC Fight Pass
The action-packed second stanza also appeared to go Namajunas’ way, as her smooth striking kept Andrade at bay for the most part, but when “Bate Estaca” was able to get in range, she made Namajunas pay, making it clear that she was still one rally away from taking over.
Andrade bloodied Namajunas’ nose early in the final round, prompting “Thug Rose” to sit down on her punches in an attempt to even the score. That played into Andrade’s game, and after a hard right hand, she took Namajunas down. Namajunas looked for a submission from her back but when that came up empty, she kicked her way back to her feet and then rattled Andrade with a body shot followed by a punch upstairs. That just prompted the two to let their hands go to the horn, capping off a thrilling back-and-forth scrap.
Michelle Waterson vs. Angela Hill (UFC Fight Night: Waterson vs. Hill)
Strawweight contenders Michelle Waterson and Angela Hill both showed up at the Apex in Las Vegas to put on a show in their main event Saturday night, and they did just that for 25 minutes, with Waterson eking out a hard-fought five-round split decision.
Scores were 49-46, 48-47 and 47-48 for the No. 8-ranked Waterson, now 18-8. The No. 13-ranked Hill falls to 12-9.
Hill threw with bad intentions from the start, aiming to not just take an early lead but secure an early night. Waterson took the shots well, and after a couple grappling sequences came up empty, she tried to implement her striking game while dealing with a mouse under her right eye. With less than two minutes left, Hill showed off her grappling defense, keeping Waterson at bay before going back to working her strikes.
The action heated up in the second, Waterson having more success with her strikes while Hill continued to stay busy. Midway through the round, a right hand from Hill rattled Waterson, but the Albuquerque product bounced back quickly, getting in some more shorts before the round ended.
Watch The Awesome Bout On UFC Fight Pass
After taking some more shots and getting her nose bloodied, Waterson finally got her takedown a minute and a half into round three, and she immediately went to work, taking the back with under two minutes left. Hill scrambled out of trouble, but she remained on the bottom with Waterson firing strikes from the top position.
Waterson was clearly looking for another takedown early in the fourth, but Hill was able to stay standing as she fired off strikes. Waterson adjusted well, switching back to her standup game, and that tightened the bout even more. And while the takedowns – or the lack of them – were a key scoring point early on, Waterson’s ability to adapt was slowly taking them out of the equation.
With the bout possibly on the line, both fighters showed a sense of urgency as the fifth round opened, each getting shots in, and as the clock ticked down, Waterson began pulling ahead with fast punches and kicks, only to be answered by Hill, who roared back, setting up a series of heated exchanges until the final horn.
