Women’s Strawweight
1. Joanna Jedrzejczyk (14-0)
With a 14-0 record, five consecutive UFC strawweight title defenses and a well-earned sobriquet like “Joanna Champion,” Jedrzejczyk is unquestionably the queen of cagefighting. As such, she deserves all the spotlight she can get, and her promoter seems to agree. The undefeated Pole's title defense over Karolina Kowalkiewicz was featured on the UFC's New York City debut at UFC 205; and when the Octagon returns to Madison Square Garden for UFC 217 on Nov. 4, she will defend against challenger Rose Namajunas on yet another UFC title tripleheader.2. Jessica Andrade (17-6)
When Andrade dropped from 135 to 115 pounds in June 2016, it was as if a beast had been unleashed. Yet, after three brutal wins, she was beaten like a drum for 25 minutes by UFC champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 211 in May; it seemed to reinforce the idea that the division was simply Jedrzejczyk, Claudia Gadelha and then everybody else. Not so fast: At UFC Fight Night 117 in Saitama, Japan, the “Piledriver” overcame a slow start to bloody and batter Gadelha, slamming and pounding her for the final 11 minutes of their bout to win a unanimous decision and change the outlook for the 115-pound division.3. Claudia Gadelha (15-3)
In her last two wins over Cortney Casey and Karolina Kowalkiewicz, it seemed Gadelha’s move to the United States to train with Luttrell-Yee MMA in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was paying rich dividends. However, “Claudinha’s” quest for a third crack at Joanna Jedrzejczyk and a second chance at her throne came to a screeching halt in Saitama, Japan, courtesy of Jessica Andrade. Gadelha started strong but faded after the first round, enduring a beating from her fellow Brazilian and dropping her previously ironclad No. 2 status in the division.4. Karolina Kowalkiewicz (11-2)
After starting her career 10-0, Kowalkiewicz suffered two back-to-back blowout losses to pound-for-pound queen Joanna Jedrzejczyk in November and Claudia Gadelha in June. The “Polish Princess” got back into her groove in her homeland on Oct. 21, however, dominating Jodie Esquibel over 15 minutes at UFC Fight Night 118 in Gdansk, Poland, before calling out fellow recent title challenger and Jedrzejczyk victim Jessica Andrade.5. Rose Namajunas (6-3)
“Potential” is always the word with Namajunas. At just 2-1 as a pro, she made it to the final of “The Ultimate Fighter 20” and fought for the inaugural UFC women’s strawweight title, losing to Carla Esparza. Nearly three years later -- still just 25 years old and in just her 10th professional fight -- “Thug Rose” will step into Madison Square Garden on Nov. 4 to challenge the sport’s ultimate queen, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, for the UFC 115-pound title at UFC 217.6. Tecia Torres (9-1)
Torres is undeniably one of the top strawweights in the world. As such, many 115-pounders are keen to dodge “The Tiny Tornado,” and the timing of her unanimous decision loss to imminent UFC title challenger Rose Namajunas in their April 2016 rematch hurt her case as a contender. Back-to-back wins over Bec Rawlings and Juliana Lima have Torres back on track, and she gets a high-profile face for her next outing at UFC 218, where she will meet Michelle Waterson on Dec. 2.7. Angela Hill (7-3)
Hill is finally starting to hit her stride, and though she has not yet maxed out her potential, “Overkill” is 5-1 in her last six bouts, with her lone loss coming to UFC title challenger Jessica Andrade in a thrilling bout in February. Having rebounded with a unanimous verdict over Ashley Yoder in July, Hill is now lined up to face Nina Ansaroff at UFC Fight Night 120 on Nov. 11 in Norfolk, Virginia.8. Livia Renata Souza (11-1)
Since losing the Invicta Fighting Championships strawweight title to Angela Hill in May of last year, Souza has rebounded with a brutal beatdown of Invicta atomweight champ and pound-for-pound entrant Ayaka Hamasaki, as well as previously undefeated prospect Janaisa Morandin. Now, the 26-year-old Brazilian has signed with the UFC, where she figures to make an immediate impact in one of MMA’s very best divisions.9. Cortney Casey-Sanchez (7-4)
Fortunately for Casey-Sanchez, she got to hang on to her dominant May win over longtime divisional standout Jessica Aguilar after the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation flubbed her drug test and was forced to admit it. Having dodged that bullet of injustice, “Cast Iron” has caught a quality booking for her next UFC appearance. Casey-Sanchez faces the streaking Felice Herrig at UFC 218 on Dec. 2 in Detroit.10. Carla Esparza (12-4)
From the moment she became the first-ever UFC women’s strawweight champion, it has been win one-lose one for Esparza. The 30-year-old is coming off of a June decision victory over Ukraine’s Maryna Moroz, and if she wants to buck the recent trend of history and put together consecutive Octagon wins, it will be no easy task. The “Cookie Monster” is penciled in to face undefeated, fast-rising prospect Cynthia Calvillo at UFC 219 on Dec. 30.Other Contenders: Cynthia Calvillo, Felice Herrig, Angela Lee, Maryna Moroz, Viviane Pereira.
Continue Reading » Women’s Atomweight