Combat Press Women’s MMA Rankings: October 2019

With the growing popularity of women’s MMA, it is important to recognize these women with a rankings system of their own. Between the UFC’s inclusion of a bantamweight division, its addition of the strawweight and flyweight divisions, Bellator’s increasing attention to the women’s side of the sport, 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.

Note: the numbers in parentheses represent the fighter’s ranking from the previous rankings.

1. Amanda Nunes (1)
2. Cris “Cyborg” Justino (2)
3. Julia Budd (3)
4. Holly Holm (4)
5. Felicia Spencer (5)
6. Megan Anderson (6)
7. Arlene Blencowe (7)
8. Talita Nogueira (8)
9. Olga Rubin (9)
10. Pam Sorenson (10)

The featherweight division had some big news in the month of September. Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino will meet back up with her former boss Scott Coker under the Bellator banner, which leaves the future of the UFC’s featherweight division in doubt. Megan Anderson looks to get back in the win column when she fights in her home country against Zarah Fairn Dos Santos at UFC 243. Under the Bellator banner, Talita Nogueira looks to move up the ladder when she goes up against Jessy Miele, who is on the cusp of joining the top 10 right now.

1. Amanda Nunes (1)
2. Germaine de Randamie (2)
3. Holly Holm (3)
4. Ketlen Vieira (4)
5. Aspen Ladd (5)
6. Raquel Pennington (6)
7. Cat Zingano (7)
8. Julianna Peña (8)
9. Yana Kunitskaya (9)
10. Lina Länsberg (10)

Lina Länsberg solidified her position in the top 10 when the Swede bested up-and-comer Macy Chiasson. The fight to look out for to close out 2019 is a match-up between Amanda Nunes and Germaine de Randamie, but it won’t happen until December.

1. Valentina Shevchenko (1)
2. Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (2)
3. Liz Carmouche (3)
4. Jessica Eye (4)
5. Katlyn Chookagian (5)
6. Jennifer Maia (6)
7. Vanessa Porto (7)
8. Joanne Calderwood (-)
9. Viviane Araujo (9)
10. Roxanne Modafferi (10)

Dropped from the rankings: Andrea Lee (8)

Joanne Calderwood rockets into the eight spot with her win over previous No. 8 Andrea Lee. Lee falls outside of the top 10 with the loss.

1. Weili Zhang (1)
2. Jessica Andrade (2)
3. Rose Namajunas (3)
4. Joanna Jędrzejczyk (4)
5. Tatiana Suarez (5)
6. Nina Ansaroff (6)
7. Claudia Gadelha (7)
8. Carla Esparza (10)
9. Michelle Waterson (8)
10. Marina Rodriguez (9)

Former UFC champion Carla Esparza moves back up the rankings after a gutsy performance at UFC on ESPN+ 17. Esparza narrowly escaped an armbar to secure a close decision over Alexa Grasso. In October, former champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk looks to potentially clinch a title shot with Weili Zhang when she takes on Michelle Waterson at UFC on ESPN+ 19.

1. Ayaka Hamasaki (1)
2. Seo Hee Ham (2)
3. Jinh Yu Frey (3)
4. Minna Grusander (4)
5. Ashley Cummins (5)
6. Kanna Asakura (6)
7. Alesha Zappitella (7)
8. Kelly D’Angelo (8)
9. Jessica Delboni (9)
10. Lindsey VanZandt (10)

In October, Seo Hee Ham looks to continue to solidify herself as the best atomweight not named Ayaka Hamasaki when she takes on the recently surging Miyuu Yamamoto under the Rizin banner. Meanwhile, Lindsey VanZandt meets up with Shino VanHoose at Invicta FC 37.