Mixed martial arts spent its early years being a male-dominated sport before women transcended the industry and broke down barriers in the 21st century. The ascent of women’s MMA peaked over the past decade when women were brought into the UFC in 2013 and were allowed to share a global stage.
They not only met but exceeded expectations, shattering stereotypes and elevating the sport to unprecedented heights, with several women becoming some of the sport’s biggest stars. Today, women are routinely putting on the most exciting fights in MMA and headlining major events.
Although women’s MMA is still an adolescent to many fans, there’s enough history to define who are the best of the best. Here is ESPN’s list of the top 10 fighters in the history of women’s MMA:
Key accomplishments: UFC featherweight and bantamweight champion, consensus No. 1 pound-for-pound female…
