Top 10 greatest female UFC fighters of all time ranked from Amanda Nunes to Ronda Rousey and Cris Cyborg
Female fighters have made a splash since joining the UFC in 2013. A bunch of impressive champions and a few major stars have emerged during the past 11 years – but fans struggle to agree on who is the best woman in MMA history. Rousey is the biggest female star – but is she the best fighter ever?Getty Amanda Nunes, Cris Cyborg, and Valentina Shevchenko all feature high on everyone’s Greatest Of All Time [GOAT] lists, even if the order they are in often varies. Former UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey considers herself the best female fighter ever, and whilst a lot of people don’t agree, no one argues against her superstar credentials. ‘Rowdy’ brought more eyes to women’s MMA than anyone before suffering back-to-back defeats and retiring from the sport in 2016. Considering results, the manner of their victories, titles won and then defended, the level of opposition faced, and longevity, talkSPORT.com has ranked the top 10 female UFC fighters of all time. 10. Kayla Harrison (Record: 18-1) Harrison is a fighter who could shoot towards the top of this list in the next few years – but the Olympic gold medal judo player sneaks into our top 10 due to her achievements with the PFL. During her 15-0 start in the sport, Harrison won two $1million tournaments and became widely regarded as the best fighter not signed to the UFC. The American beat Larissa Pacheco twice before falling short against her in a trilogy fight and moving to the UFC where she submitted Holly Holm in her promotional debut. She then beat Keltlen Vieira at UFC 307, and after that victory, she could well be eyeing a title shot in the near future. Harrison is closing in on a title shot after just one UFC fightGetty 9. Holly Holm (Record: 15-7 1NC) Holm arrived in the UFC with a Hall of Fame boxing career, which included 18 world title wins in three weight divisions, in her rear-view mirror. The 43-year-old will go down in history for scoring a famous head kick knockout win as a heavy underdog against Rousey in 2015. Since then, she’s suffered seven defeats but has been competitive in almost all her fights and even picked up wins over Irene Aldana and Raquel Pennington. Holm proved that boxers can transition to MMA and be successful. Holm scored one of the most famous KO’s in UFC historyGetty 8. Miesha Tate (Record: 20-9) Tate has been around since 2007 and is one of the true pioneers of women’s MMA. ‘Cupcake’ has won UFC and Strikeforce bantamweight titles during her time – but she’ll be remembered by most for her two-fight rivalry with Rousey. Even though ‘Rowdy’ tapped her twice, Tate is still highly regarded among MMA fans after beating Holm, Marloes Coenen, Liz Carmouhce and a bunch of other great fighters. The 38-year-old looked sensational in her December 2023 win over Julia Avila but she hasn’t fought at all in 2024. Tate is a favourite with MMA fans 7. Zhang Weili (Record: 25-3) Zhang’s record is brilliant, but it’s the way she’s been dealing with top-level opponents that makes her one of the best fighters to ever do it. ‘Magnum’ lost her MMA debut and suffered a couple of setbacks against Rose Namajunas, but besides that, she’s been close to perfect in the sport. Former UFC champions Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Jessica Andrade, and Carla Esparza have all suffered dominant defeats against the Chinese superstar. Zhang is another fighter who could move towards the top of this list very soon. Zhang is a two-time UFC titleholderGetty 6. Joanna Jedrzejczyk (Record: 16-5) Jedrzejczyk’s run as UFC strawweight champion was nothing short of extraordinary. Top fighters, including Andrade and Esparza, couldn’t lay a glove on the Polish fighter, who seemed like she’d reign over the 115lb division forever. But then Namajunas came along and beat her into submission before outpointing Jedrzejczyk in a rematch and ending her career as a champion. ‘The Boogeywoman’ lost her fear factor after that, but she was still able to put on one of the greatest fights ever with Zhang in 2020. Jedrzejczyk was a scary fighter during her prime yearsgetty 5. Rose Namajunas (Record: 14-7) Namajunas is arguably the most exciting female fighter there’s ever been. ‘Thug’ has insane striking ability and has shown it on the biggest stage to KO Zhang and Jedrzejczyk in world title fights. The former two-time strawweight queen has a CV most fighters can only dream of, but she’s intent on improving it after jumping up to flyweight. Namajunas fell short in her 125lb debut but she bounced back with back-to-back wins to put herself on the cusp of another title shot. However, a loss by unanimous decision to Erin Blanchfield means the 32-year-old may not get another chance at reaching the top. Namajunas has KO’d some of the best fighters of all timeGETTY 4. Valentina Shevchenko (Record:
Female fighters have made a splash since joining the UFC in 2013.
A bunch of impressive champions and a few major stars have emerged during the past 11 years – but fans struggle to agree on who is the best woman in MMA history.
Amanda Nunes, Cris Cyborg, and Valentina Shevchenko all feature high on everyone’s Greatest Of All Time [GOAT] lists, even if the order they are in often varies.
Former UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey considers herself the best female fighter ever, and whilst a lot of people don’t agree, no one argues against her superstar credentials.
‘Rowdy’ brought more eyes to women’s MMA than anyone before suffering back-to-back defeats and retiring from the sport in 2016.
Considering results, the manner of their victories, titles won and then defended, the level of opposition faced, and longevity, talkSPORT.com has ranked the top 10 female UFC fighters of all time.
10. Kayla Harrison (Record: 18-1)
Harrison is a fighter who could shoot towards the top of this list in the next few years – but the Olympic gold medal judo player sneaks into our top 10 due to her achievements with the PFL.
During her 15-0 start in the sport, Harrison won two $1million tournaments and became widely regarded as the best fighter not signed to the UFC.
The American beat Larissa Pacheco twice before falling short against her in a trilogy fight and moving to the UFC where she submitted Holly Holm in her promotional debut.
She then beat Keltlen Vieira at UFC 307, and after that victory, she could well be eyeing a title shot in the near future.
9. Holly Holm (Record: 15-7 1NC)
Holm arrived in the UFC with a Hall of Fame boxing career, which included 18 world title wins in three weight divisions, in her rear-view mirror.
The 43-year-old will go down in history for scoring a famous head kick knockout win as a heavy underdog against Rousey in 2015.
Since then, she’s suffered seven defeats but has been competitive in almost all her fights and even picked up wins over Irene Aldana and Raquel Pennington.
Holm proved that boxers can transition to MMA and be successful.
8. Miesha Tate (Record: 20-9)
Tate has been around since 2007 and is one of the true pioneers of women’s MMA.
‘Cupcake’ has won UFC and Strikeforce bantamweight titles during her time – but she’ll be remembered by most for her two-fight rivalry with Rousey.
Even though ‘Rowdy’ tapped her twice, Tate is still highly regarded among MMA fans after beating Holm, Marloes Coenen, Liz Carmouhce and a bunch of other great fighters.
The 38-year-old looked sensational in her December 2023 win over Julia Avila but she hasn’t fought at all in 2024.
7. Zhang Weili (Record: 25-3)
Zhang’s record is brilliant, but it’s the way she’s been dealing with top-level opponents that makes her one of the best fighters to ever do it.
‘Magnum’ lost her MMA debut and suffered a couple of setbacks against Rose Namajunas, but besides that, she’s been close to perfect in the sport.
Former UFC champions Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Jessica Andrade, and Carla Esparza have all suffered dominant defeats against the Chinese superstar.
Zhang is another fighter who could move towards the top of this list very soon.
6. Joanna Jedrzejczyk (Record: 16-5)
Jedrzejczyk’s run as UFC strawweight champion was nothing short of extraordinary.
Top fighters, including Andrade and Esparza, couldn’t lay a glove on the Polish fighter, who seemed like she’d reign over the 115lb division forever.
But then Namajunas came along and beat her into submission before outpointing Jedrzejczyk in a rematch and ending her career as a champion.
‘The Boogeywoman’ lost her fear factor after that, but she was still able to put on one of the greatest fights ever with Zhang in 2020.
5. Rose Namajunas (Record: 14-7)
Namajunas is arguably the most exciting female fighter there’s ever been.
‘Thug’ has insane striking ability and has shown it on the biggest stage to KO Zhang and Jedrzejczyk in world title fights.
The former two-time strawweight queen has a CV most fighters can only dream of, but she’s intent on improving it after jumping up to flyweight.
Namajunas fell short in her 125lb debut but she bounced back with back-to-back wins to put herself on the cusp of another title shot.
However, a loss by unanimous decision to Erin Blanchfield means the 32-year-old may not get another chance at reaching the top.
4. Valentina Shevchenko (Record: 24-4-1)
Shevchenko was utterly dominant during her run as flyweight champion – no one came close to beating her until Alexa Grasso came along.
Nine consecutive opponents fell during her legendary 125lb run, which followed an impressive stint at bantamweight and wins over Holm and Julianna Pena.
Shevchenko shared 10 rounds with Nunes and many fans think she was very unlucky to come away without a victory from at least one of their fights.
‘Bullet’ will look to start a new reign as flyweight queen at UFC 306.
3. Ronda Rousey (Record: 12-2)
Rousey is the reason female fighters got their foot in the UFC door.
The American superstar is a bonafide legend for everything she achieved outside of the Octagon, but she did some pretty epic things inside it as well.
Rousey’s 12-0 start to life in MMA was strange because she was finishing all of her opponents very quickly, which is uncommon unless you are a heavyweight KO machine like Tom Aspinall.
Holm and Nunes knocked her into retirement, but ‘Rowdy’ is still one of the very best female fighters to ever wear the UFC’s famous gloves.
2. Cris Cyborg (Record: 28-2 1NC)
Cyborg has been fighting world-class opponents for almost 20 years.
The 39-year-old is the only MMA fighter in history to become a Grand Slam Champion, holding world championships across four major mixed martial arts promotions
Cyborg’s glittering resume is chocked full with big-name wins.
And she claimed yet another title when she crossed over to PFL, beating Larissa Pacheco on Francis Ngannou‘s undercard in October.
1. Amanda Nunes (Record: 23-5)
Of course, Nunes tops our list of the best female UFC fighters.
‘The Lioness’ is the only fighter – man or woman – to successfully defend both their titles as a UFC dual-weight champion.
The Brazilian beat five of the other fighters on this list, but most importantly she KO’d Cyborg in 51 seconds when they fought in 2018.
Nunes retired from MMA last year.
However, she’s recently been flirting with the idea of a return and could still add another chapter to her fairytale career in combat sports.
