The Rankings: The Women’s Bantamweights: Jan 23, 2017

The Rankings are just that – The MMA Manifesto’s rankings of the best fighters in mixed martial arts today.  Check back every Monday and Friday for our rankings of a different weight class.  Next up: The Women’s Bantamweight Rankings. 

Voting Panel: Jeff Fox, Daniel Vreeland, Ricky Leone, and Ryan MacDonald.

*stipulations: 1) any fighter currently suspended or 2) inactive for at least 12 months (without an upcoming fight scheduled) are excluded from the rankings

(click on fighter’s name for detailed scouting report)

The Women’s Bantamweight Rankings

1) (Last ranking: 1) Amanda Nunes – UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion – 40 points – (out of a possible 40)

            Record: 14-4
            Last Five Fights: 5-0
            Record vs Top 10: 4-2 (W-Rousey, W-Tate, W-Shevchenko, W-McMann, L-Zingano, L-Davis)
            Next Fight: TBA

Amanda Nunes is looking more dangerous each fight.

2) (3) Valentina Shevchenko – UFC – 35 points
            Record: 13-2
            Last Five Fights: 4-1
            Record vs Top 10: 0-1 (L-Nunes)
            Next Fight: vs #5 Juliana Pena – UFC on Fox: Shevchenko vs Pena – Jan 28th

The Bullet has shot up the rankings after dispatching former champ Holm.

3) (2) Ronda Rousey – UFC – 31 points
            Record: 12-2
            Last Five Fights: 3-2
            Record vs Top 10: 5-1 (L-Nunes, W-Zingano, W-Davis, W-McMann, W-Tate, W-Tate)
            Next Fight: TBA

Is this the end of Rousey in the cage?

4) (4) Raquel Pennington – UFC – 30 points
            Record: 9-5
            Last Five Fights: 4-1
            Record vs Top 10: 1-1 (W-Tate, L-Zingano)
            Next Fight: TBA

Rocky is on the rise.

5) (6) Julianna Pena – UFC – 21 points         
            Record: 8-2
            Last Five Fights: 4-1
            Record vs Top 10: 1-0 (W-Zingano)
            Next Fight: vs #2 Valentina Shevchenko – UFC on Fox: Shevchenko vs Pena – Jan 28th

Next win could get The Venezuelan Vizan a shot at gold.

6) (tied) (7) Miesha Tate – UFC – 17 points
                        Record: 18-7
                        Last Five Fights: 3-2
                        Record vs Top 10: 1-5 (L-Pennington, L-Nunes, W-McMann, L-Rousey, L-Zingano, L-Rousey)
                        Next Fight: TBA

Tate says she’s done in the octagon.  Only time will tell if that is a permanent decision.

6) (tied) (7) Sara McMann – UFC – 14 points
                        Record: 10-3
                        Last Five Fights: 3-2
                        Record vs Top 10: 2-3 (W-Davis, L-Nunes, L-Tate, L-Rousey, W-Evinger)
                        Next Fight: TBA

McMann is moving towards the top once again.

8) (9) Cat Zingano – UFC – 10 points

            Record: 9-2
            Last Five Fights: 3-2
            Record vs Top 10: 2-2 (L-Pena, L-Rousey, W-Nunes, W-Tate)
            Next Fight: TBA

The Cat hasn’t won a fight in two years.

9) (10) Tonya Evinger – Invcita FC Women’s Bantamweight Champion – 7 points 
              Record: 19-5, 1 NC
              Last Five Fights: 4-0, 1 NC
              Record vs Top 10: 0-3 (L-McMann, L-Davis, L-Davis)
              Next Fight: vs Yana Kunitskaya – Invicta FC 22 – Mar 25th

Evinger lost her strap controversially, only to get it back two weeks later when her appeal overturned the loss to a no contest.

10) (NR) Alexis Davis – UFC – 4 points 
                 Record: 17-7
                 Last Five Fights: 3-2
                 Record vs Top 10: 3-2 (L-McMann, L-Rousey, W-Nunes, W-Evinger, W-Evinger)
                 Next Fight: TBA

Davis is still waiting to get her first W since becoming a mommy

Dropped off: (5) Holly Holm (moved to featherweight)

Bubbling Under: Liz Carmouche, Leslie Smith, Bethe Correia, 

Rankings: