With the growing popularity of women’s MMA, it is important to recognize these women with a rankings system similar to the men. Between the UFC’s inclusion of a bantamweight division, its addition of a strawweight division, its recent announcement of a flyweight division and the all-female promotion of Invicta FC, more and more women are being exposed to casual and hardcore fans alike. Every month, Combat Press compiles the staff’s individual rankings from featherweight to atomweight to create the Combat Press Women’s MMA Rankings.
- Cris “Cyborg” Justino (1)
- Julia Budd (2)
- Germaine de Randamie (3)
- Megan Anderson (4)
- Charmaine Tweet (7)
- Latoya Walker (8)
- Daria Ibragimova (NR)
- Helena Kolesnyk (9)
- Gabrielle Holloway (NR)
- Ediane Gomes (NR)
Dropped from the rankings: Holly Holm (5), Marloes Coenen (6), Amanda Bell (10)
The month of June was a slow one for the featherweights. The UFC did announce a huge featherweight title fight between Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino and Megan Anderson, but Anderson was pulled by the UFC not long after the fight. In her place, ranked bantamweight Tonya Evinger steps for the co-main event of UFC 214. That’s a huge fight coming up in July. Meanwhile, two notable names have dropped from the rankings. Holly Holm is moving back to bantamweight and Marloes Coenen is enjoying her retirement. Their departure has created a shuffle that has also caused Amanda Bell to drop out of the rankings, while Daria Ibragimova, Gabrielle Holloway and Ediane Gomes make their move into the top 10.
- Amanda Nunes (1)
- Valentina Shevchenko (2)
- Holly Holm (6)
- Ronda Rousey (3)
- Raquel Pennington (4)
- Julianna Pena (5)
- Sara McMann (7)
- Cat Zingano (8)
- Liz Carmouche (9)
- Tonya Evinger (10)
A relatively quiet month of June led to a jump up the rankings for a former UFC champ. Holly Holm headlined the UFC card in Singapore, where she used a highlight-reel head kick to knock out Bethe Correia in front of a raucous crowd. With yet another head-kick finish, we may have to acknowledge the former champ as “Holly Holm-Cop.” In July, UFC champion Amanda Nunes is set to defend her title in a rematch with Valentina Shevchenko in the headliner of UFC 213.
- Jennifer Maia (1)
- Agnieszka Niedźwiedź (2)
- Roxanne Modafferi (3)
- Vanessa Porto (4)
- Rin Nakai (5)
- Ilima Macfarlane (6)
- DeAnna Bennett (7)
- Sarah D’Alelio (8)
- Andrea Lee (9)
- Kalindra Faria (10)
The flyweights were dormant in the month of June, and it looks to be a slow July as well. Ninth-ranked Andrea Lee will defend her Legacy Fighting Alliance title against relative unknown Davina Maciel. The bout will headline the LFA 16 card.
- Joanna Jędrzejczyk (1)
- Claudia Gadelha (2)
- Karolina Kowalkiewicz (3)
- Rose Namajunas (4)
- Jessica Andrade (5)
- Michelle Waterson (6)
- Randa Markos (7)
- Carla Esparza (9)
- Joanne Calderwood (NR)
- Tecia Torres (10)
Dropped from the rankings: Jessica Aguilar (8)
The top of the strawweight division was busy in June, with three of the top 10 in action. Claudia Gadelha was able to finish Karolina Kowalkiewicz in her home country of Brazil, becoming the first lady to do so. Carla Esparza got back in the win column with a victory over the always tough Maryna Moroz. In July, Joanne Calderwood will throw down in her home country of Scotland against the thriving Cynthia Calvillo. Also, Tecia Torres takes a late-notice bout against Juliana Lima.
- Ayaka Hamasaki (1)
- Jinh Yu Frey (2)
- Herica Tiburcio (3)
- Seo Hee Ham (NR)
- Janaisa Morandin (4)
- Julia Jones (5)
- Mina Kurobe (6)
- Tessa Simpson (7)
- Naho Sugiyama (8)
- Ashley Cummins (9)
Dropped from the rankings: Simona Soukupova (10)
While it was a quiet month for the atomweights, we have a new top 105er amongst the ranks. Former UFC strawweight Seo Hee Ham bested Mina Kurobe to jump up to the No. 4 spot. Ham was formerly one of the best atomweights in the world, so she could fit back in the division like a glove. Jinh Yu Frey is set to take on Ashley Cummins in July.
Editor’s Note: Fighters are eligible to be ranked if they have competed in the last 18 months. Any fighter that chooses to switch weight classes will be ranked in their previous weight class until they have competed twice in their new division.