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Amanda Nunes retired in 2023 with a UFC resume that looks like a typo. Two belts. Wins over Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg, Valentina Shevchenko (twice), Holly Holm, and Miesha Tate. She didn’t just beat the best of her era; she beat almost every big name from two eras. That kind of run makes ranking the best female MMA fighters a messy business. Do you reward dominance, longevity, or the moment a fighter changed the sport forever? The names below all have a case.
The Four Names at the Top of the Mountain
Amanda Nunes
Amanda Nunes is the easy No. 1 for most fans. The Brazilian won the UFC bantamweight title from Miesha Tate at UFC 200 in 2016, defended it five times, and also won the featherweight belt by knocking out Cris Cyborg in 51 seconds. She holds wins over seven former UFC or Strikeforce champions. Her only real stumble came against Julianna Peña in 2021, and she avenged it with a one-sided decision in 2022 before retiring as double champ. Nunes finished 21-5, but the scorecards don’t capture how many legends she ended. She beat Rousey when Rousey was still a myth, outpointed Shevchenko twice, and flatlined Cyborg in under a minute. That’s not a resume; that’s a highlight reel with a body count.
Cris Cyborg
Cris Cyborg was the most feared woman in MMA before Nunes arrived. The Brazilian won titles in Strikeforce, Invicta, and the UFC, and she went more than a decade without a loss. Her 2017 UFC featherweight title win over Tonya Evinger made her the first woman to hold belts in three major promotions. Cyborg beat Gina Carano in 2009, Marloes Coenen twice, and Holly Holm in 2017. Her loss to Nunes stings, but her relentless pressure and heavy hands helped legitimize women’s featherweight divisions worldwide. She’s 39 now and still fighting. That longevity matters.
Valentina Shevchenko
Valentina Shevchenko is the most technically complete fighter on this list. A former kickboxing world champion, she won the UFC flyweight title in 2018 and defended it seven times. Shevchenko outclassed Jessica Eye, Katlyn Chookagian, and Lauren Murphy with surgical counterstriking. Her two losses to Nunes at bantamweight were close decisions. She remains a top contender and a nightmare matchup for anyone who can’t match her speed. She doesn’t just win; she makes good fighters look like they’re moving in slow motion.
Ronda Rousey
Ronda Rousey belongs here for impact alone. The first UFC women’s champion, she won her first four pro fights by armbar, three of them in under a minute. Her 2013 armbar of Liz Carmouche headlined UFC 157 and proved women could sell pay-per-views. Rousey defended the bantamweight belt five times before Holly Holm knocked her out in 2015. She finished 12-2, but her judo bronze medal and mainstream fame dragged MMA into a new era. Without Rousey, there’s no Nunes headlining UFC 200. That’s not nostalgia; that’s lineage.
The Strikers Who Made Technical Violence Look Easy
Joanna Jedrzejczyk
Joanna Jedrzejczyk was the UFC’s first strawweight queen who looked like a Muay Thai assassin. She won the title in 2015 and defended it five times, including a five-round war with Claudia Gadelha. Her volume striking and brutal clinch work set a standard for the 115-pound division. She lost twice to Rose Namajunas and once to Zhang Weili, but her 2020 fight with Weili is still the best women’s MMA fight ever. Jedrzejczyk retired in 2022 with a 16-5 record and a legacy as the division’s first true elite striker.
Holly Holm
Holly Holm is the only fighter to knock out Ronda Rousey. The former boxing champion landed a head kick at UFC 193 that flipped the sport upside down. Holm won the UFC bantamweight title that night and later challenged for featherweight gold. She never became a dominant champion, but her 33-2-3 boxing record and that one perfect kick earned her a permanent place in MMA history. She’s still fighting in her 40s, which is either inspiring or terrifying depending on your perspective.
Germaine de Randamie
Germaine de Randamie is another kickboxing convert who won UFC gold. She beat Holly Holm for the inaugural featherweight title in 2017, then returned to bantamweight and rattled off a run of wins. Her striking is crisp, her takedown defense is underrated, and she gave Nunes a real test in 2019. She’s a tough out for anyone ranked below her, even now.
The Current Wave: Champions and Contenders Still Writing History
Zhang Weili
Zhang Weili is the best strawweight on the planet right now. The Chinese champion won the title in 2019 by knocking out Jessica Andrade in 42 seconds, lost it to Rose Namajunas in 2021, then reclaimed it from Carla Esparza in 2022. She’s defended it twice, including a dominant win over Amanda Lemos. Her strength and pressure are rare at 115 pounds. The first fight with Joanna Jedrzejczyk, a five-round split decision in 2020, is the benchmark for title-fight drama. Zhang doesn’t just beat opponents; she wears them down until they break.
Rose Namajunas
Rose Namajunas is a two-time strawweight champion with a knack for big moments. She knocked out Joanna Jedrzejczyk in 2017, then beat her again in the rematch. She also handed Zhang Weili her first UFC loss with a head kick in 2021. Namajunas moved up to flyweight in 2023, and while results have been mixed, her footwork and submissions make her a problem at any weight. She’s the rare fighter who can win a title fight with a single strike or a last-second submission.
Alexa Grasso
Alexa Grasso ended Valentina Shevchenko’s long flyweight reign in 2023, submitting her in the fourth round. The Mexican fighter has slick boxing and a dangerous ground game. She’s a reminder that the best female MMA fighters aren’t always the biggest names; sometimes they’re the ones who ruin the biggest names’ legacies. Grasso’s win over Shevchenko was one of the biggest upsets of the year.
What Separates the Best Female MMA Fighters From the Rest
Ranking fighters is subjective, but the elite usually share a few traits:
- Championship rounds experience: Nunes won 10 title fights. Shevchenko has eight title wins. Rousey had six. Winning early is great; winning late is better.
- Cross-discipline skill: The best women in MMA aren’t one-trick ponies. Nunes knocked out Cyborg and submitted Tate. Shevchenko outstruck and outgrappled top contenders. Rousey’s judo was elite, but her striking eventually failed her.
- Strength of schedule: Beating legends matters. Nunes beat seven former champions. Cyborg beat Carano, Coenen, and Holm. A 20-0 record against low-ranked opponents doesn’t move the needle.
- Impact on the sport: Rousey headlined UFC 157 and opened doors. Nunes main-evented multiple pay-per-views. Cyborg built a following before the UFC had a featherweight division. Numbers help, but cultural weight matters too.
Fighters also build lives beyond the cage. Many of the women on this list have moved into coaching, commentary, or gym ownership. Those roles still need real people, as this look at jobs AI won’t replace points out. A fighter’s legacy isn’t just about wins; it’s about what they build after the gloves come off.
The Next Generation Is Already Here
Erin Blanchfield is in her mid-20s and already ranked in the top five at flyweight. She wrestles like a blanket and submits people who make one mistake. Manon Fiorot is a French striker who beat Rose Namajunas and pushed Grasso to a decision. Raquel Pennington won the bantamweight title in 2024 after a decade of grinding. Julianna Peña is still lurking, and Tatiana Suarez might be the best grappler no one talks about enough. The best female MMA fighters of the next five years are probably already on the UFC roster. They’re just waiting for their turn.
