There are some big women's UFC bouts in the coming months
The biggest UFC event in recent weeks was UFC 272, headlined by the fight between Colby Covington and Jorge Masdival. Covington was ultimately victorious, winning by unanimous decision in the fifth round. But there were two women’s bouts on the night as well. Marina Rodriguez defeated Yan Xiaonan via decision, and Maryna Moroz submitted Mariya Agapova in the second round.
Most of the women’s fights don’t always make the headlines or get listed as UFC best bets, but the fans will surely agree that they are just as exciting as the men’s bouts. They offer a different perspective on mixed martial arts and have become just as popular in recent years. Here are some of the big women’s fights coming up in the next few months.
UFC 273: Volkanovkis vs. The Korean Zombie
The big fight at UFC 273 is probably the bantamweight match up between Irene Aldana and Aspen Ladd.
Aldana is considered one of the best pound for pound fighters and is currently ranked number three in her division. But with Ladd just one rung down in the rankings, this is sure to be an intriguing clash. Both have lost fights in recent times and could do with a victory to have any chance of facing the champion – Juliana Pena – anytime soon.
UFC 274: Oliveira vs. Gaethje
A UFC Lightweight Championship bout between current champion Charles Oliveira and former interim champion Justin Gaethje is expected to be the headline event at UFC 274 in May. But the main women’s fight of the night should be the featherweight meeting between Macy Chiasson and Norma Dumont.
Chiasson is currently ranked 10th in the bantamweight class, with Dumont number 15 in the same division. Dumont is the fighter in form though. She beat Aspen Ladd in October of last year and is steadily growing a fearsome reputation as a fighter. Chiasson will want to get back to winning ways after filling in as a late replacement for Julie Avila against Raquel Pennington last time out though.
The fighters will be in training for their upcoming bouts
UFC 275
Looking even further ahead, UFC 275 is scheduled to take place in June and a Women’s Flyweight Championship bout is set to be one of the big fights of the evening. The best pound for pound female fighter in the world – Valentina Shevchenko - will defend her title for the seventh time against the challenger, Taila Santos.
Shevchenko has only ever lost three times in her UFC career – twice to Amanda Nunes – and is unbeaten in the last five years. Santos is currently ranked number five in the featherweight division and has won 10 of her 20 fights by knockout. She has only ever lost one bout and was awarded the Performance of the Night the last time she was in action when she beat Scottish fighter Joanne Wood last November.
Women’s Fighting
There will also be the weekly UFC Fight Nights to look forward to, to get your regular fix of women’s bouts. Although all eyes will be on that Shevchenko vs. Santos fight at UFC 275, the next few months promise to be a exciting time in the women’s game.
More UFC fans are sitting up and taking notice of the women’s fights these days – and the fighters mentioned here are bound to take the sport even further in the coming years.
