The Beaten Path: 10 Female BWs and SWs the UFC Should Sign Now
The finish line has been crossed. The "Prospects the UFC Should Sign" series is coming to a close. We left off with the flyweights, but now it's time for a whole new gender.
The women of MMA have attained more recognition recently due to their inclusion in the UFC. Stars like Ronda Rousey have carved a path for the 135ers, and the 115ers were quick to follow into the company thanks to The Ultimate Fighter 20.
The women's roster of the UFC could use some extra faces at this point, as depth is the key to creating more interesting divisions. Plenty of women can fit the bill, despite WMMA being in sort of a post-embryonic stage.
So, we picked out five bantamweights and five strawweights whom the UFC needs to snag to cushion its new divisions. Here are those 10 ladies, with the prospect label being a little more lax in this countdown.
Below are the previous installments of this list:
Memory Lane
1 of 11
We have only included women for one year in this series, and so far, half the ladies have found their way to the UFC roster. That shouldn't be surprising, though, as there aren't as many female fighters in the world of MMA.
The five who have joined the UFC are bantamweights Leslie Smith, Rin Nakai and Larissa Pacheco, as well as strawweights Aisling Daly and Justine Kish. Thus far, the most successful have been Daly and Smith, who own victories in the Octagon.
As for the five women who have not made it yet, don't be surprised if you see their names again soon. They are still top women in MMA and have a lot to offer the UFC upon potential entry.
| BW | SW |
| Leslie Smith | Aisling Daly |
| Rin Nakai | Justine Kish |
| Larissa Pacheco | Stephanie Eggink |
| Pannie Kianzad | Kalindra Faria |
| Agnieszka Niedzwiedz | Mizuki Inoue |
Pannie Kianzad
2 of 11Weight Class: Bantamweight
Home Country: Sweden
Team: Rumble Sports
Record: 7-0
Last Fight: Unanimous-decision win vs. Eeva Siiskonen
We kick off the list with a fighter who graced the list last year by the name of Pannie Kianzad. It was speculation last year that she would drop to bantamweight, but it was followed through this year when she actually made the drop from featherweight.
Kianzad is the Cage Warriors bantamweight champion, an accolade she earned in her most recent fight when she bested Eeva Siiskonen. That win continued her perfect record, as the Swedish fighter continued her dominance in the European circuit.
She is a boxer by base, though she is a good grappler as well. She achieves takedowns with seeming ease and then transitions to her smothering top game, where she wears on opponents.
With her all-around prowess, overall record and top prospect status, coupled with a regarded women's title and the UFC's penchant to make trips to Europe fairly frequently, Kianzad could find herself donning UFC gloves in the near future.
Mizuki Inoue
3 of 11Weight Class: Strawweight
Home Country: Japan
Team: Hakushinkai Karate
Record: 8-3
Last Fight: Split-decision loss vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz
Mizuki Inoue is yet another fighter who returns to this list after last year, as the 20-year-old Japanese fighter is the definition of a prospect. She is young, skilled, still improving and is considered by many to be a future star at 115.
Inoue is a well-rounded fighter, owning technical boxing skills on the feet, as well as a menacing submission game. She owns six finishes in eight wins, all of which came via submission. Her favorite technique is the armbar, which she uses proficiently.
Inoue had a weird 2014, as she went 1-2. However, upon examination, one loss to Emi Tomimatsu was only because she missed weight, and not only did she actually beat her in the recorded loss, but she made up for it by beating her again with the same armbar credited in her "loss." She lost her most recent fight to Karolina Kowalkiewicz, though it was close and highly entertaining.
That shouldn't have much bearing on her potential status with the UFC. She is exciting and highly skilled and even owns wins over TUF 20 members Bec Rawlings and Alex Chambers.
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Agnieszka Niedzwiedz
4 of 11Weight Class: Bantamweight
Home Country: Poland
Team: Gracie Barra Lodz
Record: 7-0
Last Fight: Knockout win vs. Julia Stoliarenko
The final repeat from last year's list (I tried not to include too many), Agnieszka Niedzwiedz is like Mizuki Inoue in that she is the definition of a blue-chip prospect. She is just 19 years old yet already is 7-0 in the sport and destined for bigger, better things.
Niedzwiedz is a grappler, possessing great takedowns and positional top game. She has good submissions as well, but it's her knack for throwing big strikes from top position that causes the most damage during her fights.
She is a finisher too. Of her seven victories, just one has made it to the judges in Cage Warriors, where she has started building her great reputation.
She has been looking to improve her striking, which is her biggest need at this point given how good her grappling is. She has plenty of time to do it too, as she's not even in her 20s yet and figures to have longevity in this sport.
Karolina Kowalkiewicz
5 of 11Weight Class: Strawweight
Home Country: Poland
Team: Gracie Barra Lodz
Record: 6-0
Last Fight: Split-decision win vs. Mizuki Inoue
Joining fellow Pole Agnieszka Niedzwiedz is Karolina Kowalkiewicz, one of the fastest-rising stars in women's MMA right now. She is a top-10 strawweight who has to figure into the UFC's plans sooner than later.
Kowalkiewicz is another well-rounded fighter coming from Poland. Her striking is crisp and technical, while her ground game is a mixture of beauty and savagery.
She has a good reputation being the top dog in the reputable KSW promotion in Poland, but it was her most recent bout against Mizuki Inoue in Invicta that really put her on the map. That win, which was an amazing bout, stole some thunder from the Japanese prospect and put it in the corner of this skilled Pole.
With how rapidly she's rising, one has to assume bigger things are soon to come. Whether it's a title shot at Katja Kankaanpaa in Invicta or a new deal in the UFC, Kowalkiewicz is no doubt one of the best around.
Tonya Evinger
6 of 11Weight Class: Bantamweight
Home Country: United States
Team: Hit Squad
Record: 15-5
Last Fight: Submission win vs. Cindy Dandois
As you noticed, the word "prospect" and this countdown for the women in general is looser than the other versions of this series. That's because of the lack of depth in women's MMA due to its young age in the whole MMA picture.
Enter Tonya Evinger, a veteran of the sport, TUF 18 cast member and current Invicta star, who has turned around her career in a hurry. Once disregarded due to her inability to make it past Raquel Pennington to get into the TUF house, Evinger has stormed back up the rankings with her work since then.
The grappler is a good wrestler and submission artist. She is 3-0 since failing to make it on TUF. She dominated Sarah D'Alelio to a decision and finished a heavily favored Ediane Gomes and veteran Cindy Dandois via armbar.
She's back with a vengeance and is likely one of the best outside the UFC currently. She will continue to make waves in Invicta until the UFC finally re-pulls the trigger on her and inks her to a deal.
Zoila Gurgel
7 of 11Weight Class: Strawweight
Home Country: United States
Team: Team Jorge Gurgel
Record: 12-4
Last Fight: Unanimous-decision loss vs. Vanessa Porto
Her run at flyweight didn't work out, so a return to strawweight, where she was a Bellator champion, needs to happen now. Of course, I am talking about exciting striker Zoila Gurgel, who has fallen out of sight in recent times.
Previous to a knee injury during her time in Bellator, in which she was a champion, Gurgel was thought of as one of the best pound-for-pound female fighters in the world. Her resume included wins over Jessica Penne, Megumi Fujii and Jessica Aguilar, all of whom have spent time at the top of the division.
Then the knee injury hit and had Gurgel out for a long time. That time on the sideline hurt her career progress, and when she eventually did come back, it was at a higher weight class.
That move has seen her drop three straight in her most recent outings. After getting choked out quickly by now-UFC fighter Jessica Eye, Gurgel came to Invicta and promptly lost to both Jennifer Maia and Vanessa Porto. Those three bouts had fans wondering if the move back to 115 was the best thing for Gurgel.
For now, we wait her return, as she has not competed since December 2013. If she chooses to return to 115, she will instantaneously become a fighter to watch in the division again and may regain her old form.
DeAnna Bennett
8 of 11Weight Class: Bantamweight/Strawweight
Home Country: United States
Team: The Pit Elevated
Record: 6-0
Last Fight: Unanimous-decision win vs. Jennifer Maia
Right now, DeAnna Bennett is a top-three flyweight in the world and fights with Invicta FC. However, she has moved in between 135 and 125 through her six-fight career and could be a great addition to the UFC bantamweight roster should she choose a full-time commitment with the company.
Bennett, a pro since 2012, finally had more than one fight in a year in 2014, where she competed four times. She won all of them, keeping her record perfect. She even has a win over TUF 18 winner and new WMMA star Julianna Pena.
She is a cardio machine and a well-rounded fighter, possessing good kickboxing and wrestling ability. She is also a finisher, as four of her six bouts have come by way of knockout or submission.
Whether she's chasing Barb Honchak's gold in Invicta or inking a UFC deal in the future is beside the point. Right now, we have to recognize Bennett as a top overall prospect in the sport and a lady who could make waves upon entry to the UFC.
Plus, this was written before she decided to drop to 115 pounds, where she now fights Lynn Alvarez at Invicta 11. Whatever weight class she is comfortable at, especially if she makes it to 115 safely, is a place where she should fight in the UFC.
Alexa Grasso
9 of 11Weight Class: Strawweight
Home Country: Mexico
Team: Lobo Gym
Record: 6-0
Last Fight: Knockout win vs. Alida Gray
One of two Mexican fighters on this list, Alexa Grasso has quickly jumped into the eyes of the WMMA public and become a big-time prospect. Adding that to the fact the UFC has opened up the market in Mexico and you have a woman who is primed to make the jump soon.
Grasso, a vicious striker with a nicely developing ground game, is undefeated to this point in her career. She is a nasty finisher, having great power for a lady who is just 115 pounds.
She terrorized the Mexican regional scene before coming to Invicta, and since then, she beat up Ashley Cummins in a fun scrap and knocked out power puncher Alida Gray in her most recent fight. She now has a co-main event slot with the company, where she battles fellow prospect Mizuki Inoue in a high-stakes bout.
The scary part is she is only 21 years old. She has a lot of time in her career left, and if she continues to progress the way she is, there is no doubt that she will be a top strawweight in the world.
Irene Aldana
10 of 11Weight Class: Bantamweight
Home Country: Mexico
Team: Lobo Gym
Record: 4-1
Last Fight: Submission win vs. Peggy Morgan
The second Mexican fighter on this list, Irene Aldana is a lot like her countrywoman Alexa Grasso. She is a powerful striker on her way up in WMMA who could be on a UFC Mexico card soon.
Aldana, whose only loss came to now-UFC employee Larissa Pacheco, is a great kickboxer, possessing thunderous kicks, savage knees and uncanny punching power. She goes for the kill when she smells blood, as evidenced by the fact that she's never been to a decision.
After dominating the Mexican regional scene and testing the waters in Brazil, Aldana made the move to Invicta, where she looked comfortable in knocking down and choking out UFC vet Peggy Morgan. She has a fight next month with the company against Melanie LaCroix and could definitely earn a UFC spot with an impressive showing.
Aldana has the type of power, excitement and killer instinct to make her a feared UFC roster member. Adding her to a 135-pound division in need of new bodies seems to be the best thing for the UFC.
Livia Renata Souza
11 of 11Weight Class: Strawweight
Home Country: Brazil
Team: Team Vinicius Maximo
Record: 7-0
Last Fight: Submission win vs. Camila Lima
Many fans may not know who Livia Renata Souza is yet; she is the biggest dark horse on this list. However, once she jumps on American broadcast screens for MMA fans to observe, they will realize she is the real deal.
Souza, a jiu-jitsu specialist, is known for her tremendous ground presence and high-quality submission game, which has led to six of her seven victories. She uses a wide variety of techniques as well, as she has used everything from heel hooks to armbars to triangle chokes. The armbar is her most proficient technique.
She has spent her time on the Brazilian regional level, where she has faced some quality competition. In her seven wins, Souza has defeated the likes of Camila Lima, Bianca Reis, Aline Sattelmayer (twice) and Andressa Rocha.
She will continue to fly under the radar until she gets to a bigger stage. Just be warned now and take notice: She will be a fighter to keep your eye on from here on out.
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