The Top 5 Female Fighters in MMA History

How Rose Namajunas, Michelle Waterson, Amanda Nunes, and Paige VanZant fought their way to the top

For young females to look up to, Amanda Nunes, Paige VanZant, Michelle Waterson, Rose Namajunas, and Joanna Jdrzejczyk are excellent role models for athleticism, charm, and talent. They are a deadly combination of beauty and muscle.

The Top 5 Female Fighters in MMA History

These four female MMA competitors are a lethal combination of strength and beauty. They serve as excellent role models for skill, charm, and athleticism while exhibiting the type of self-assurance and feminine empowerment that young girls might aspire to. Here is a quick overview of each person's career.

1. Amanda Nunes

Known as "The Lioness" for her vicious fighting style, the first openly homosexual fighter to win a UFC belt. Since her debut in 2011, the Brazilian has won 18 of her 22 fights, including 13 knockouts. She is the only female fighter in UFC history to simultaneously hold both the bantamweight and featherweight belts she won. In a stunning performance that shocked the MMA community in December 2018, she terminated Cris Cyborg's tenure as the featherweight champion in just 51 seconds. The streak of victories for Cyborg spanned 20 matches and 11 years. In 2016, Nunes also single-handedly put an end to Ronda Rousey's career by putting an end to her in under 48 seconds. She exemplifies what it takes to be successful in MMA.

2. Paige VanZant

The 25-year-old American's moniker, "12 Gauge," reflects her lifelong passion for shooting and hunting. She was a tomboy from a young age and has a history in sports, which has helped her succeed in the ring. VanZant is a champion of female emancipation; after experiencing bullying in school, she changed her last name officially and went on to win 8 of her 12 matches, including two by knockout. She is diverse in her interests. She has had appearances on Chopped and Dancing with the Stars in addition to MMA. She has also served as a model for Columbia Sportswear and Nike. Who says you have to choose?

3. Michelle Waterson

The 33-year-old American, also referred to as the "Karate Hottie," holds a black belt in American freestyle karate and has also studied Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Wushu, boxing, wrestling, and Muay Thai. Waterson began her career as a ring girl but later decided she wanted to fight. In 2007, she made her debut. She has won 17 of her 24 contests since then. If you missed her battles, you may still find her on screen in the films MacGruber (2010), The Signal (2014), and Independence Day: Resurgence (2016).

4. Rose Namajunas

The American, who is 27 years old, is rated second in the UFC's strawweight class. Namajunas has a lengthy history of competing; he began learning taekwondo at the age of 5 and then learned kickboxing, jiu-jitsu, wrestling, and karate. She began MMA competition in 2010, and in 2013 she made her professional debut. She won the 2017 Women's MMA Knockout of the Year award as well as the 2017 MMA Fighter of the Year award. Joanna Jdrzejczyk was defeated twice by her, once by knockout and once by submission.

5. Joanna Jędrzejczyk

In the women's strawweight division of the UFC, the Polish competitor is rated No. 4. She started practicing Muay Thai when she was 16 and has since won five global championships, including the WBKF Championship, WKF European Championship, and the WKN global Championship. She won her first 14 fights after making her professional MMA debut in 2012. Jdrzejczyk has been referred to as "pound-for-pound" the finest female fighter on earth by UFC president Dana White. When she won the strawweight championship in 2015, she became the first female UFC champion from Europe. She successfully defended the championship five times, but Rose Namajunas won it in the sixth. Her Instagram is jam-packed with images of her traveling, swimming, and hiking, demonstrating her versatility and activity as an adventurer.