10 Greatest Female Fighters In MMA History
Where does Ronda Rousey fall on the list of greatest of all time?
While women's mixed martial arts has only been featured in the UFC since 2013, there are documented fights involving female competitors that date back to the mid-1990s. From its infancy to present, thanks to some very talented and marketable fighters, women's MMA has grown leaps and bounds.
With the help of some influential pioneers, many of whom we are about to discuss, it's now possible for a female fighter to become a legend inside the Octagon. With that in mind, it's time to tackle the task of ranking the ten greatest female fighters of all-time.
In truth, greatness can be a subjective term. In order to provide some clarity regarding the criteria for the list, let's discuss what factors are being used rank these combatants.
A competitors professional record and the titles they have held will be given major consideration. However, strength of schedule will also be examined, to avoid over-rating fighters who may not have faced the stiffest of competition. Moreover, we will also take a look at the level of notoriety a fighter has achieved and the overall impact their legacy had (or is having) on the sport.
Now that we've laid the groundwork, let's get to it.
10. Holly Holm
After winning several titles as a professional boxer, Albuquerque, New Mexico's Holly Holm made the transition to MMA in 2011. "The Preacher's Daughter" would go on to win her first ten professional fights including a shocking upset victory over Ronda Rousey to capture the UFC Women's Bantamweight Championship. The win quite made her a star overnight.
However, after an epic start to her UFC career, Holm is now 2-4 since her victory over Rousey. To be fair, all four of her losses have come against either current or former UFC champs. Furthermore, despite her recent struggles, Holm is still one of the most popular fighters in the game today.
Her victory over Rousey remains one of the most talked-about moments in MMA and ensures that she'll always have a place in the sport's history.
This Saturday, at UFC 239, she will challenge Amanda Nunes for the women's bantamweight strap and a chance to become a 2-time champ. If successful, she'll likely find her name even further down lists like this in the very near future.