Throughout MMA history, male fighters have been given more preference than female fighters and are believed to be the strongest. But there have been many elite female fighters with incredible strength and power. Thus, they boast some of the best knockouts in MMA history. These knockouts display great skills and precision. In this article, we will have a look at some of the most iconic knockouts scored by women.
10) Irene Aldana vs. (Macy Chiasson)
Aldana faced Macy Chiasson at UFC 279 in September 2022. Initially, “Robles” was losing the fight, but in the second round, she bounced back after being taken down. Aldana cracked Chiasson’s liver area, causing her to go down on the canvas. It was a sharp and devastating blow that led to Aldana getting a title shot for the UFC Bantamweight championship against Amanda Nunes.
9) Jéssica Andrade vs. (Karolina Kowalkiewicz)
Jessica Andrade faced Kowalkiewicz at UFC 228 on September 28, 2018. She was looking to stake her claim to a strawweight shot with a knockout win over Kowalkiewicz in the first round. Both women used a flurry of uppercuts, knees and punches. However, Andrade showed more urgency, increasing the pace and knocking her opponent down. Karolina’s neck snapped back and hit the canvas, proving that Andrade had some of the most skilled set-up jabs. This encouraged her to move forward and win the title in her next fight with Rose Namajunas.
8) Ronda Rousey vs. (Bethe Correia)
When Ronda Rousey faced Bethe Correia at UFC 190, the fight was totally one-sided. Rousey was on an 11-fight winning streak at the time and wanted to show people that she was not limited to just judo throws, grappling, or submissions. “Rowdy” hammered Correia in the face and threw in some knees. The bout ended within 34 seconds of the first round, with Rousey taking the knockout win. However, this first-round win gave Rousey a false sense of security and overconfidence, with her striking something that cost her in her next fight.
7) Zhang Weili vs. (Joanna Jędrzejczyk)
Zhang Weili and Joanna Jedrzejczyk delivered one of the best UFC fights of 2020. The fight was for the UFC women’s strawweight championship, where Joanna was the challenger. “Magnum” scored a split decision win. In the rematch, which was not for the title, Jedrzejczyk had a point to prove. However, Zhang wanted to show that she has championship potential even after two consecutive losses to Namajunas. Both women had another pitched battle. However, Zhang dropped JJ with a vicious backfist in the second round and scored an impressive KO win at UFC 275.
6) Valentina Shevchenko vs. (Jessica Andrade)
Valentina Shevchenko is one of the greatest female MMA fighters. Her striking skills are incredible, but when she defended her flyweight title against Jessica Eye, “Bullet” had a point to prove. During their fight at UFC 261, Shevchenko landed amazing kicks at her opponent. In the second round, she quickly covered up her move and kicked Jessica in the head. It was a brutal knockout that left everyone in awe. It reiterated why Valentina was considered the greatest flyweight.
5) Rose Namajunas vs. (Zhang Weili)
When Zhang Weili was gaining a reputation as one of the most dominant strikers in the UFC, everyone thought that she would threaten Rose Namajunas after her win over Joanna. However, after a flurry of measured strikes, Namajunas landed a head kick out of nowhere, sending “Magnum” to the canvas. It was one of the most clinical strikes the UFC has ever seen, leaving Weili struggling to stay up.
4) Amanda Nunes vs. (Cris Cyborg)
Amanda Nunes faced Cyborg at UFC 232 in December 2018 for the UFC Women’s Featherweight Championship. Both fighters were very strong, so everyone thought that the fight would be very competitive. However, they didn’t expect that the fight would turn out to be one-sided. Nunes showed blatant disregard for Cyborg’s reputation. The Lioness punched her, applied endless pressure and left her opponent blank. Nunes won the fight via knockout within 51 seconds of the first round.
3) Jéssica Andrade vs. (Rose Namajunas)
Andrade is known for her power punching. She was booked to face Rose Namajunas at UFC 237 on May 11, 2019 for the UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship. “Bate Estaca” fought incredibly and in the second round, she quickly moved from back control and picked Namajunas up. She slammed her to the canvas, knocking her out. She also threw a few punches for good measure, but the referee prevented further brain damage.
2) Molly McCann vs. (Luana Carolina)
Molly McCann was 11-4 in her professional career when she faced Luana Carolina, who herself had an impressive 8-2 record. During the bout, “Meatball” avoided a clinch attempt and landed a spinning right elbow to Carolina’s chin. Due to this, she became unconscious and fell to the ground, making the fans furious. This match showed that McCann could produce a spark and make a comeback.
1) Holly Holm vs. (Ronda Rousey)
At one point, Ronda Rousey was at the top of the UFC women’s division and was one of the biggest stars in the MMA world. Rousey was the bantamweight champion who came from Strikeforce. When “Rowdy” faced Holly Holm at UFC 193, “The Preacher’s Daughter” showed no fear, thwarting her punches and tossing her opponent. When Rousey stumbled and fell, she got a head kick that shocked the world. Holms won the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship, while Rousey just fought once more, losing to Nunes and retiring.
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