This list exists because people still say women's MMA fights are not as exciting as men's. They are wrong, and here is the evidence.
These ten fights are ranked by a combination of technical quality, competitive drama, historical significance, and the kind of action that makes you remember exactly where you were when you watched them.
1. Zhang Weili vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk II -- UFC 275 (2022)
The rematch to the fight that was already one of the best in women's MMA history. Zhang stopped Joanna with a spinning backfist that was perfectly timed and technically brilliant. The first fight had been a five-round war decided by a split decision. The rematch was shorter but no less dramatic, with Joanna doing real damage before Zhang landed the finish. Back-to-back all-timers between two elite strikers.
2. Zhang Weili vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk I -- UFC Fight Night 157 (2019)
Five rounds of elite Muay Thai and kickboxing at a level that the strawweight division had never seen. Both fighters landed enormous shots. Both fighters were hurt. Neither stopped coming forward. Zhang won a split decision in a fight that was genuinely competitive throughout. Both women needed medical attention after. The kind of fight that makes you hold your breath.
3. Holly Holm vs. Ronda Rousey -- UFC 193 (2015)
The upset that changed everything. Holm was a 13-to-1 underdog walking into this fight, and she did not just win -- she dominated. Her movement, her timing on the counterpunch, her body kick work, and the second-round head kick finish showed that a technically excellent striker with a good game plan could neutralize what Rousey did. Historically significant and technically excellent.
4. Rose Namajunas vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk I -- UFC 217 (2017)
Rose came in as a significant underdog and knocked Joanna out in the first round. The crowd reaction at Madison Square Garden was something else. What made it great was not just the finish but the way Rose had clearly leveled up since their last interaction. She was composed, she hit hard in the right moment, and she closed the distance when the opening came. An upset that felt earned.
5. Miesha Tate vs. Holly Holm -- UFC 196 (2016)
This fight had no business being as good as it was. Holm had just knocked out Rousey in possibly the biggest upset in women's MMA history. Tate was seen as an aging contender who might not have the tools. What followed was five rounds of incredible action, with Tate surviving damage and getting the finish with a rear naked choke in the fifth round. The comeback felt real and earned.
6. Amanda Nunes vs. Valentina Shevchenko II -- UFC 215 (2017)
This fight was closer and more competitive than the first, and it showed both fighters at excellent levels. Nunes won by decision but had to work for it. Shevchenko was technically brilliant throughout. The fight showed the ceiling of what both athletes were capable of and made the argument that the best women's fights could match the best fights in any division.
7. Valentina Shevchenko vs. Jessica Andrade -- UFC 261 (2021)
A fight between two styles that seemed like they could not coexist, and then they did in the most entertaining way possible. Andrade is a power puncher and wrestler who knocked out Rose Namajunas with a slam. Shevchenko picked her apart with precision and found the finish in the third round. A demonstration of elite technique against high-level pressure.
8. Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Claudia Gadelha II -- UFC 211 (2017)
The most competitive of Jedrzejczyk's title defenses. Gadelha pushed her throughout five rounds, took her down, and mixed wrestling with striking in a way that forced Joanna to adapt. Joanna won, but it was not comfortable, and the fight showed real stakes and real competition. A legitimate argument for great title defense performance.
9. Carla Esparza vs. Rose Namajunas II -- UFC 274 (2022)
This one makes the list not because it was action-packed -- it was not -- but because it was a genuinely technical fight that was close throughout and ended in one of the more controversial decisions in recent women's MMA. People argued about it for months. The debate about what happened, who won, and why it played out the way it did is worth having.
10. Julianna Pena vs. Amanda Nunes I -- UFC 269 (2021)
The upset itself earns this a spot. But it is also just a good fight. Pena fought intelligently, pushed the pace, and recognized her opportunity on the ground. The finish was clean. The historical significance is undeniable. A fight that will be referenced for years.
Honorable mentions: Cris Cyborg vs. Holly Holm, Valentina Shevchenko vs. Alexa Grasso I, and Tatiana Suarez vs. Nina Ansaroff.
UFC Fight Pass has the full catalog of UFC women's fights, including every fight on this list. There is no better investment for a serious women's MMA fan.
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