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.
- Amanda Nunes (1)
- Cris “Cyborg” Justino (2)
- Kayla Harrison (3)
- Julia Budd (4)
- Norma Dumont (7)
- Cat Zingano (6)
- Megan Anderson (5)
- Felicia Spencer (8)
- Arlene Blencowe (9)
- Pam Sorenson (NR)
Dropped out of the rankings: Leah McCourt (10)
The featherweights were busy in October, even if some of them were fighting at lightweight. Kayla Harrison continued her dominance, besting Taylor Guardado for a $1 million payday. Julia Budd made a successful PFL debut, beating Kaitlin Young. Lastly, Norma Dumont scored a big UFC main event win, taking out Aspen Ladd. Looking into November, Cris Cyborg will defend her Bellator title against Sinead Kavanaugh. Felicia Spencer will take on Leah Letson, who is coming off a long layoff. Lastly, fellow ranked fighters Pam Sorenson and Arlene Blencowe jockey for position in the rankings.
- Amanda Nunes (1)
- Germaine de Randamie (2)
- Holly Holm (3)
- Raquel Pennington (4)
- Aspen Ladd (5)
- Irene Aldana (6)
- Miesha Tate (7)
- Yana Kunitskaya (8)
- Ketlen Vieira (9)
- Julianna Pena (10)
No top-10 bantamweights were in action in October. However, looking into November, #2 Germaine de Randamie looks to possibly clinch another title shot when she fights Irene Aldana. Also, Miesha Tate headlines a UFC card opposite Ketlen Vieira.
- Valentina Shevchenko (1)
- Liz Carmouche (2)
- Jessica Andrade (3)
- Katlyn Chookagian (4
- Jennifer Maia (8)
- Cynthia Calvillo (7)
- Juliana Velasquez (5)
- Ilima Macfarlane (6)
- Lauren Murphy (9)
- Joanne Calderwood (10)
No top-10 flyweights were in action in October. November will see Cynthia Calvillo look to continue her move up the rankings against Andrea Lee. Also, Joanne Calderwood looks to possibly get into the single digits of the top-10 when she fights Taila Santos.
- Rose Namajunas (1)
- Zhang Weili (2)
- Joanna Jędrzejczyk (3)
- Carla Esparza (4)
- Yan Xiaonan (5)
- Claudia Gadelha (6)
- Marina Rodriguez (7)
- Michelle Waterson (8)
- Tecia Torres (9)
- Amanda Ribas (10)
Marina Rodriguez scored another huge win in October, as she took out Mackenzie Dern in a Fight Night main event. Also, Amanda Ribas scored a big win over Virna Jandiroba to keep her top-10 spot. The two best 115-pound fighters in the world will fight in November, as UFC champ Rose Namajunas rematches Weili Zhang.
- Seo Hee Ham (1)
- Ayaka Hamasaki (2)
- Alesha Zappitella (3)
- Ashley Cummins (4)
- Jessica Delboni (5)
- Kanna Asakura (6)
- Rena Kubota (7)
- Lindsey VanZandt (8)
- Mina Kurobe (9)
- Kelly D’Angelo (10)
No top-10 atomweights were in action in October. Two ranked Japanese fighters will fight in November, as #7 Rena Kubota takes on Miyuu Yamamoto, while #9 Mina Kurobe takes on Satomi Takano.
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.