Combat Press Women’s MMA Rankings: August 2021

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 weight classes from strawweight up to featherweight, Bellator’s increasing attention to the women’s side of the sport, and the all-female promotion 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 month.

1. Amanda Nunes (1)
2. Cris “Cyborg” Justino (2)
3. Kayla Harrison (3)
4. Julia Budd (4)
5. Megan Anderson (5)
6. Cat Zingano (6)
7. Norma Dumont (7)
8. Felicia Spencer (8)
9. Arlene Blencowe (9)
10. Leah McCourt (10)

Arlene Blencowe was the lone featherweight to compete in July, as the Bellator fighter scored yet another win, this time over Dayana Silva. Looking into August, Kayla Harrison will compete in the PFL lightweight playoffs when she takes on Genah Fabian. Also, former Invicta FC champion Pam Sorenson will make her Bellator debut when she takes on Roberta Samad.

1. Amanda Nunes (1)
2. Germaine de Randamie (2)
3. Holly Holm (3)
4. Raquel Pennington (4)
5. Aspen Ladd (5)
6. Irene Aldana (6)
7. Miesha Tate (-)
8. Yana Kunitskaya (7)
9. Ketlen Vieira (8)
10. Julianna Peña (9)

Dropped from the rankings: Macy Chiasson (10)

Miesha Tate triumphantly returned to MMA in July, scoring a win over Marion Reneau to re-enter the rankings. That win knocked Macy Chiasson out of the top 10. Also in July, Irene Aldana defeated Yana Kunitskaya. In August, Ketlen Vieira will meet Sara McMann in a pivotal bout.

1. Valentina Shevchenko (1)
2. Liz Carmouche (2)
3. Jessica Andrade (3)
4. Katlyn Chookagian (4)
5. Juliana Velasquez (5)
6. Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (6)
7. Cynthia Calvillo (7)
8. Jennifer Maia (8)
9. Lauren Murphy (9)
10. Joanne Calderwood (10)

Juliana Velasquez was the only top-10 flyweight to compete in July, as the Bellator champ defended her belt in a win over Denise Kielholtz. Also, Jennifer Maia was able to defeat Jessica Eye to maintain her spot in the rankings. The month of August currently has no top-10 fighters in action.

1. Rose Namajunas (1)
2. Zhang Weili (2)
3. Joanna Jędrzejczyk (3)
4. Carla Esparza (4)
5. Yan Xiaonan (5)
6. Claudia Gadelha (6)
7. Marina Rodriguez (7)
8. Michelle Waterson (8)
9. Tecia Torres (9)
10. Amanda Ribas (10)

No fighters in the top 10 were in action during the past month, so the rankings remain unchanged.

1. Seo Hee Ham (1)
2. Ayaka Hamasaki (2)
3. Alesha Zappitella (3)
4. Ashley Cummins (4)
5. Jessica Delboni (5)
6. Kanna Asakura (6)
7. Rena Kubota (7)
8. Lindsey VanZandt (8)
9. Mina Kurobe (9)
10. Kelly D’Angelo (10)

No fighters in the top 10 were in action during the past month, so the rankings remain unchanged.

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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. Fighters who announce their retirement will remain ranked for a period of six months following their final bout.