Women’s MMA Fighters That Are Rocking The Octagon.

While women’s MMA fighters might not get as much attention and publicity as their male counterparts, there are some badass women out there who are formidable opponents in the Octagon.

In fact, some of the most exciting and dramatic fights in UFC history have been between women. So, here, we will show you ten of the most impressive female MMA fighters at the moment. Whether you are a long-standing fan or are looking to get involved with UFC for the first time, here are the stars to look out for.

 1. Rose Namajunas

Also known as ‘Thug’ in the ring, Rose Namajunas has a very impressive 65-inch reach making her strikes something to fear. Not only that, but the fighter is also a black belt in both taekwondo and karate. She’s also known to use Brazilian jiu-jitsu techniques in her matches, as well as leg kicks.

Namajunas’ professional career got off to a respectable start, with five of her first eight fights resulting in victories. She went on to win the UFC women’s strawweight championship twice.

2. Joanne Wood

 Joanne ‘The Whispering Assassin’ Wood from Scotland started out with kickboxing before progressing to mixed martial arts. During her time as a professional kickboxer, Wood took part in over 20 matches, losing only two of them.

Wood’s MMA career started off in a similarly impressive fashion – the fighter won all of her first nine matches, four of which were won by knockout. Wood’s style involves a combination of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, and strong strikes from the legs.

 3. Jessica Eye

Jessica Eye, also known professionally as ‘Evil Eye,’ is one of the toughest women you’ll find in the Octagon these days. You’ll see her using a range of moves in her fights, including elbow strikes and takedowns, while her preferred discipline for attacks is boxing.

The American fighter also had an impressive start to her pro-fighting career, winning ten of her first eleven matches.

 4. Cat Zingano

‘Alpha’ Cat Zingano uses an impressive repertoire of Muay Thai, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and wrestling moves to defeat her opponents. This skillset, combined with her massive 70-inch reach, makes her a formidable opponent to face in the Octagon.

Like the women above, Zingano also started off her career with a long winning streak, coming out victorious in all of her first nine matches. Five of her first victories were by knockout, and, in fact, she was the first female UFC fighter to win by technical knockout back in 2013.

 5. Joanna Jędrzejczyk

Favoring Muay Thai and kickboxing, strawweight Jędrzejczyk was UFC champion five times running (earning her the nickname ‘Champion’) before losing out to Rose Namajunas.

She’s perhaps best known for her notorious fight against Zhang Weili, arguably one of the best women’s MMA fights ever. During the five-round battle, which she eventually lost, Jędrzejczyk sustained some substantial injuries. The most notable was some serious swelling to the head, following an accidental headbutt from her opponent Weili.

6. Mackenzie Dern

Mackenzie Dern started out in Brazilian jiu-jitsu before transitioning to a career in MMA. During her time as a professional Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter, Dern claimed her black belt at just 19 years old and has claimed more titles than any other female in the sport.

She has enjoyed similar success during her MMA career, so far only losing one of her fights. Not only that, but she has successfully balanced family life with being a pro fighter – Dern is one of the very few women to take time off for maternity leave only to bounce back quickly and return to the top of her game.

 7. Holly Holm

Despite her professional nickname of ‘The Preacher’s Daughter,’ Holly Holm is a fearsome opponent in the Octagon. With an impressive start to her pro career of ten consecutive wins and boxing and kickboxing style of fighting, it’s no surprise that Holm is one of the best female MMA fighters around.

One of Holm’s biggest moments was her 2015 knockout of Ronda Rousey, which led to her claiming the Bantamweight champion title. Holm’s previous boxing career was similarly impressive – she defended her titles a whopping 18 times in three different weight classes. This led to her being regarded as one of the best female boxers of all time, a title rightfully earned.

 8. Miesha Tate

While Miesha Tate might go by the rather cute nickname of ‘Cupcake,’ she is a badass fighter with a range of impressive victories to her name! Tate is an all-rounder, using a vicious combination of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, wrestling, and boxing moves in the Octagon to defeat her opponents.

Tate has enjoyed victories over some of the best names in women’s MMA, including those featured here. For example, she famously defeated Jessica Eye and Holly Holm, the latter resulting in her claiming the title of bantamweight champion.

 9. Amanda Nunes 

The Brazilian ‘Lioness’ Amanda Nunes has come out on top during all but two of her professional MMA fights, with the majority of her victories coming in round one. Nunes is the reigning champion in both the bantamweight and featherweight classes – the first woman in UFC history to hold titles in two divisions simultaneously.

Nunes’ main fighting style is Brazilian jiu-jitsu – winning various gold medals in the sport before commencing her MMA career. She also achieved a black belt in the discipline, as well as a brown belt in judo. As if that wasn’t enough, Nunes is even set to appear in Halle Berry-directed Bruised in the very near future.

10. Cris Cyborg

Concluding our list is the Brazilian featherweight Cris Cyborg. Over the course of her professional career so far, Cyborg has only lost two fights, one of which was her professional debut and the other to Amanda Nunes in the Octagon.

You could argue that we’ve saved the best fighter for last, as Cyborg is currently ranked the world’s #1 female in her weight class. Opponents often find her one of their most intimidating opponents, thanks to her lightning-fast reflexes and amazing power.