7. Ronda Rousey
Yes, Holly Holm head kicked Rousey right out of the women’s bantamweight throne at UFC 193, but the “it” quality she brings to the table cannot be denied. Prior to her disastrous encounter with Holm, the Olympic bronze medalist was drawing comparisons to Mike Tyson. Rousey’s remarkable run of sustained dominance inside the Octagon included 14-, 16-, 34- and 66-second finishes. Only longtime rival Miesha Tate made it out of the first round against her.
Rousey’s first weapon of choice was the armbar, but she later introduced power punching to her arsenal. Her popularity surged to unprecedented heights, as some loved her and many others grew to hate her. No matter the feelings, she became a must-see attraction every time she set foot in the cage. No one knows how the loss to Holm will impact Rousey long term, but it has done nothing to derail her crossover stardom. She has since hosted “Saturday Night Live,” graced the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue and will appear on the cover of the EA Sports UFC 2 video game alongside Conor McGregor.
Number 6 » Conor McGregor