MMA fans are sure to disagree about who the greatest-ever female fighter is because it does not always come down to statistics. However, there is no doubt that the MMA fighters on this list deserve to be mentioned as some of the best female MMA stars of all time.
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Number 5: Valentina “Bullet” Shevchenko
The current Women’s Flyweight champion, Valentina “Bullet” Shevchenko, is presently considered to be one of the greatest female fighters on the planet, and her reputation is sure to go down in MMA history. The Kyrgyzstani and Peruvian MMA fighter, and former Muay Thai fighter, gives the impression she can carry on winning for years to come. With an impressive 18 wins, no draws, and only three losses, she currently ranks number two in the UFC’s women’s pound-for-pound rankings.
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Number 4: Marloes “Rumina” Coenen
Dutch fighter Marloes Coenen has an impressive record. She began competing professionally back in 2000. After her debut win, she went on to win seven more victories in a row, winning the 2000 ReMix World Cup along the way. That makes Coenen the first female MMA Championship winner, which is one reason why she will always be regarded as one of the most prominent sportswomen in MMA. In her professional career, she won 28 fights, drew none, and lost eight. Coenen retired in 2017, and she is still sorely missed.
Number 3: “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey
The American Ronda Rousey is undoubtedly one of the most famous mixed martial artists of all time. But she is just as famous for now being an actress, a professional wrestler, and an author. After Rousey became the first American woman to win an Olympic medal in judo, at the 2008 games, she began pursuing a career in MMA. Rousey won her debut fight, and by 2011 she had become the UFC’s Women’s Bantamweight Champion. She also has a place in UFC history, because she took part in the first-ever women’s UFC fight, and held onto her title after defeating Liz Carmouche. In 2018, “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey became the first female fighter to be inducted into the UFC’s Hall of Fame. And, if you are wondering, her longstanding nickname of “Rowdy” was inherited from the late wrestler Roddy Piper.
Number 2: Joanna Jedrzejczyk
The Polish fighter Joanna Jędrzejczyk’s kickboxing and Muay Thai are second to none, and she is undoubtedly the best female striker in mixed martial arts today. So, it is no wonder she is considered to be one of the best female MMA fighters of all time. She competes in the women’s strawweight and flyweight divisions of the UFC and is the former UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion. At present, she ranks number 4 in the UFC’s pound-for-pound strawweight rankings for female fighters. With only three losses in her professional career, Jędrzejczyk’s martial arts are always exciting and engaging to watch. Her trash-talking game and mainstream marketability have also allowed her to gain prominence in MMA. Watch out for her next fight on March 7, when she takes on the impressive Weili Zhang.
Number 1: Cris Cyborg
There is nothing robotic about the way Cris Cyborg moves. Her free-flowing pace and dominant fashion have secured her place as the current number one Best Female Featherweight in the world. She is also a former champion of the UFC, Invicta FC World Featherweight, and Strikeforce titles. The Brazilian-American mixed martial artist is also notable for being the only MMA fighter, of either sex, for becoming a Grand Slam Champion. She first rose to fame when she defeated Gina Carano in a first-round technical knockout in 2009. Since then, she has won a further 21 fights, drawn only two, and lost none. And although Cyborg is now 34 years of age, she is still an unstoppable machine. Her recent impressive Bellator debut against the formidable Julia Budd says it all.