Top Ranking Female UFC Contenders of the Year
UFC's undisputed divas: The fiercest female fighters of 2024, ranked!
In a kickass year for women's mixed martial arts, these five phenomenal ladies ruled the octagon, writes Quintin van Jaarsveld. No holds barred, let's dive in!
5: Raquel Pennington
A veritable swiss army knife in the cage, Pennington (16-9) captured hearts with her rags-to-riches story - earning her "Rocky" nickname sideways smirks. A relentless grinder, she proved one of the UFC's least expected champions at UFC 297.
Pennington pounded Brazilian Mayra Bueno Silva from bell to bell, eventually outworking her to seize the vacant bantamweight title. Although she lost the title in a controversial bout against the next contender, her triumph in Toronto deserved a spot among the year's best.
4: Julianna Pena
Pena (12-5) turned 2024 into her comeback year. After losing the bantamweight belt to Amanda Nunes in July 2023, she got a swift rematch against the new champion, Pennington.
Their showdown at UFC 307 in October was a long-awaited rematch of their The Ultimate Fighter days in 2013. After a decade, Pena edged out Pennington via split decision to reclaim the 135-pound title.
3: Zhang Weili
Zhang (25-3) continued to make UFC history this year. The first-ever Chinese UFC champion defended her second reign as strawweight queen against compatriot Yan Xiaonan at UFC 300 in April.
The title fight marked the first time two Chinese fighters battled for a UFC belt, and Weili, the second-ranked pound-for-pound fighter, demonstrated her champion pedigree by retaining her title via decision.
2: Kayla Harrison
A dominant force on the judo mat, Harrison (18-1) didn't miss a beat in the UFC's bantamweight division. A two-time Olympic champ in judo and two-time PFL tournament winner, she made quick work of former champion Holly Holm in her highly anticipated UFC bow in April.
Harrison solidified herself as the No. 1 contender at 135 pounds with a decision win over Ketlen Vieira in October, earning her the title of the UFC's uncrowned champion in the eyes of many.
1: Valentina Shevchenko
Shevchenko (24-4-1) stands tall as the Female Fighter of the Year after reclaiming the flyweight title and settling her feud with Alexa Grasso once and for all. She entered the octagon with a chip on her shoulder and a score to settle with the woman who dethroned her last March.
In a controversial June rematch, there was no clear winner or loser, as the fight ended in a disputed draw after a disputed 10-8 final round for Grasso.
After serving as coaches on Season 32 of The Ultimate Fighter, they met in the UFC's first female trilogy at UFC 306 in September at the Sphere in Las Vegas. "Bullet" — a multi-time K-1 and Muay Thai champion — displayed grappling skills equal to her striking prowess.
Outclassing Grasso across all three rounds, the GOAT of 125-pound fighters reclaimed her title in a dominant fashion, making it clear she's the one to beat in the flyweight division.
- Raquel Pennington, the "Rocky" of UFC, showcased her versatile skills as a swiss army knife in the cage, capturing hearts with her rags-to-riches story and becoming one of the UFC's least expected champions in a bout at UFC 297.
- Julianna Pena reclaimed the UFC bantamweight title in 2024, ten years after their TUF days, by edging out Raquel Pennington in a split decision at UFC 307.
- Zhang Weili, the first Chinese UFC champion, made history yet again by retaining her strawweight title against compatriot Yan Xiaonan in a title fight at UFC 300, becoming the first time two Chinese fighters battled for a UFC belt.
- Kayla Harrison, a dominant force in judo and PFL tournament, made her UFC debut in April by quickly defeating former champion Holly Holm, solidifying herself as the No. 1 contender at 135 pounds after a decision win over Ketlen Vieira in October.
- Valentina Shevchenko, undisputedly the Female Fighter of the Year, reclaimed the flyweight title and settled her feud with Alexa Grasso, demonstrating her champion pedigree and proving herself as the one to beat in the flyweight division.
