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Fight Coverage
From the moment the UFC was founded in 1993 to 2012, women didn’t have the chance to compete inside the Octagon.
That all changed after the UFC acquired fight promotion Strikeforce and brought women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey in and announced that the 2008 Olympic bronze medalist in judo would be promoted to the UFC women’s bantamweight champion. The UFC Women's Bantamweight division has accumulated an elite list of champions in it's eight years of activity.
Ronda Rousey (2012-2015) After being announced as the UFC women’s bantamweight champion, Rousey’s first defense would be against Liz Carmouche in the main event of UFC 157 (2/13/2013). (Watch On UFC Fight Pass) Rousey and Carmouche would make history that night by becoming the first women to ever compete in the UFC. In the first round, Rousey would hit her signature armbar, forcing Carmouche to tap out. Rousey would dominate as the champion for 1,074 days, successfully defending her title six times. Defeating each of her opponents by either submission or TKO, Rousey's title defense record of six has yet to be beaten. In 2018, Rousey also became the first woman inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.
Holly Holm (2015) Defeats Rousey at UFC 193 (11/15/2015) in Melbourne, Australia. Holly Holm would be the seventh woman to challenge the undefeated Rousey. Holm would become the second UFC women’s bantamweight champion and would remain on top as champion for 111 days. (Watch On UFC Fight Pass)
Miesha Tate (2016) Defeats Holm in first title defense, she took on women’s MMA pioneer and veteran Miesha Tate in the co-main event of UFC 196 (3/5/2016). Securing her hooks in, Tate threatened the champion with a rear naked choke. (Watch On UFC Fight Pass)
Amanda Nunes (2016-2021) Defeats Tate at UFC 200 (7/9/2016) (Watch On UFC Fight Pass). In the first round, Nunes would get the champion in a rear-naked-choke and force Tate to tap. With the win, Nunes began her legacy as one of the greatest to ever compete inside the Octagon, defending her title against Rousey, Valentina Shevchenko, Pennington, Holm, and de Randamie.
Julianna Pena punches Jessica Rakoczy in their women's bantamweight final fight during The Ultimate Fighter season 18 live finale inside the Mandalay Bay Events Center on November 30, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa Getty Images)
Juliana Pena celebrates after defeating Milana Dudieva in their women's bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at the Patriot Center on April 4, 2015 in Fairfax, Virginia. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa Getty Images)
Julianna Pena kicks Jessica Eye in their women's bantamweight bout during the UFC 192 event at the Toyota Center on October 3, 2015 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa Getty Images)
Cat Zingano (bottom) wrestles with Julianna Pena in their women's bantamweight bout during the UFC 200 event on July 9, 2016 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Harry How/Zuffa Getty Images)
Valentina Shevchenko of Kyrgyzstan and Julianna Pena touch gloves in their women's bantamweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at the Pepsi Center on January 28, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa Getty Images)
Julianna Pena celebrates after her victory over Nico Montano in their women's bantamweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at Golden 1 Center on July 13, 2019 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa Getty Images)
Julianna Pena punches Germaine de Randemie of The Netherlands in their women's bantamweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event inside Flash Forum on UFC Fight Island on October 04, 2020 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)
Julianna Pena punches Sara McMann in a bantamweight fight during the UFC 257 event inside Etihad Arena on UFC Fight Island on January 23, 2021 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Julianna Pena reacts after defeating Amanda Nunes of Brazil by submission in their UFC bantamweight championship bout during the UFC 269 on December 11, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Julianna Pena battles Amanda Nunes of Brazil in the UFC bantamweight championship fight during the UFC 277 event at American Airlines Center on July 30, 2022 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)
Julianna Peña (2021) Defeats Nunes in the co-main event of UFC 269 (12/11/2021). Peña delivered on her claims, submitting Nunes in the second round by rear naked choke. (Watch On UFC Fight Pass).
Amanda Nunes (2022-2024) Defeats Peña at UFC 277 (7/30/2022) via unanimous decision (Watch On UFC Fight Pass). Defends her bantamweight title by beating Irene Aldana at UFC 289 (06/10/23) via unanimous decision.
Raquel Pennington (Present) defeats Mayra Bueno Silva at UFC 297 (01/20/2024) by unanimous decision to win the title following the retirement of Amanda Nunes at UFC 289 (Watch On UFC Fight Pass)
RELATED: UFC Heavyweight Title Lineage | UFC Flyweight Title Lineage | UFC Strawweight Title Lineage | UFC Featherweight Title Lineage | UFC Lightweight Title Lineage | UFC Women’s Flyweight Title Lineage | UFC Bantamweight Title Lineage