Leading Women in UFC: Year's Most Notable Female Champions

Leading Women in UFC: Year's Most Notable Female Champions

Fierce Female Fighters of 2024 UFC: Here's our rundown of the top female UFC combatants shredding the mat in 2024 and beyond.

5. Raquel PenningtonMonikered "Rocky," Pennington (16-9) stormed the scene with her dogged persistence and shocking UFC 297 triumph, snatching the vacant bantamweight belt off Mayra Bueno Silva in a rollercoaster ride of a fight. Although she lost the title in a close battle against Julianna Pena a few months later, her record-breaking victory and relentless spirit earned her a spot among the year's finest warriors.

4. Julianna PenaPush-ups, pull-ups, and pull-triumphs characterized "The Venezuelan Vixen's" 2024 campaign. Strutting back onto the octagon after her bantamweight title loss to Amanda Nunes in 2023, Pena (12-5) recaptured the gold by besting Pennington via a dramatic, split-decision victory at UFC 307 in October. This rematch, which showcased their season 18 TUF rivalry, marked an impressive return to the top for Pena.

3. Zhang WeiliThe undisputed queen of the strawweight division, Zhang (25-3) continued her trailblazing ways in 2024. After successfully defending her second reign as strawweight champion against fellow Chinese fighter Yan Xiaonan at UFC 300 in April, Zhang has solidified her status as the best at 115 pounds, with an impressive win streak of four consecutive victories.

2. Kayla HarrisonHarrison (18-1), a two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo and two-time PFL tournament winner, made her long-awaited debut in the UFC in 2024. Dominating her competition, she demolished former champion Holly Holm at UFC 305 in April and proved herself to be a one-of-a-kind beast of an athlete, earning her a spot as the clear No. 1 contender for the bantamweight throne.

1. Valentina ShevchenkoNo stranger to the top spot, "Bullet" once again stands as the Female Fighter of the Year in 2024. After avenging her 2023 loss to Alexa Grasso by reclaiming the flyweight championship in commanding fashion at UFC 306 in September, Shevchenko cemented her place as a dominant force in women's MMA. Her trilogy bout with Grasso, held at the incredible Sphere in Las Vegas, showcased her unparalleled grappling and striking prowess, solidifying her status as the gold standard in the flyweight division.

1. Raquel Pennington, nicknamed "Rocky," featured prominently in the realm of sports, shattering expectations with her unexpected victory at UFC 297, securing the vacant bantamweight title.
2. Julianna Pena, known as "The Venezuelan Vixen," demonstrated her mixed-martial-arts qualities by recapturing the bantamweight belt, overpowering Pennington in a thrilling bout at UFC 307.
3. Zhang Weili, recognized as the undisputed queen of the strawweight division, continued to impress in the world of sports, extending her win streak to four consecutive victories, including a successful title defense at UFC 300.
4. Kayla Harrison, a renowned sports figure with a background in Olympic judo, made an impact in mixed-martial-arts by defeating former champion Holly Holm at UFC 305, showing off her qualities as a unique and formidable athlete.
5. Valentina Shevchenko, often hailed as the Female Fighter of the Year, continued to dominate the sports scene in 2024, reclaiming the flyweight championship with a decisive victory against Alexa Grasso at UFC 306.

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