Amanda Nunes is set to return from retirement on November 14, 2026, to face Kayla Harrison for the UFC bantamweight championship at UFC 334. The matchup is widely regarded as one of the most exciting bouts in the history of women's mixed martial arts. Nunes established her reputation as the greatest female fighter of all time before retiring as champion in 2023. During her career, she defeated every notable competitor, including every previous holder of the UFC bantamweight and featherweight titles.
In Nunes' absence, Harrison rose to become the champion, bringing her Olympic wrestling credentials to the highest level of the sport. This long-discussed contest joins a relatively young but impactful history of highly anticipated women's fights. The selection of these ten key moments was based on fan excitement, the significance of the bouts at the time, and their broader influence on the division.
The list begins in August 2009 with Gina Carano facing Cris Cyborg in Strikeforce. Carano was the first major star in America, boasting a seven-fight winning streak. Cyborg, a dominant Brazilian fighter, ended Carano's career in less than one round. This bout marked the first time a major promotion headlined a card with a women's fight. Carano would not return to the cage until 2026 for a one-off event against Ronda Rousey.
By March 2012, Ronda Rousey had emerged as a rising star. She dropped in weight to face Miesha Tate, building a rivalry despite not sharing a division. Tate had won the championship via a four-woman tournament and defended it against Marloes Coenen. However, Rousey's grappling proved superior, and she submitted Tate with an armbar in the first round.
Rousey's impact continued in February 2013 at UFC 157, where she headlined her promotional debut against Liz Carmouche. Dana White had previously stated women would never fight in the Octagon, but Rousey changed that mind. She secured her seventh first-round armbar in seven fights, making a statement on the sport's biggest platform. The rivalry deepened in December 2013 at UFC 168, where Tate became the first woman to take Rousey past the opening round before ultimately falling to another armbar.
The narrative shifted dramatically in November 2015 at UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia. The event drew the largest crowd in UFC history at the time. Holly Holm, a boxing champion, dominated Rousey on the feet and delivered a brutal headkick knockout. The upset shocked the world and marked a turning point in the division's history.
Miesha Tate regained the bantamweight title by defeating Holly Holm in July 2016 at UFC 200. However, her reign was short-lived. Amanda Nunes stopped Tate in the main event of a landmark event to claim the belt, beginning a legendary run that would later see her unseat Rousey as the division's top star.
Nunes cemented her status in December 2016 at UFC 207 by facing Rousey for the first time since the Melbourne upset. The fight ended in less than one minute when Nunes blitzed Rousey with punches for a technical knockout. The dominant victory officially ended the Rousey era and established Nunes as the face of the division.
In November 2017, Rose Namajunas shocked the world at UFC 217 by defeating five-time champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk. Despite being a heavy underdog, Namajunas secured a first-round technical knockout to win the strawweight title. She proved the win was no fluke by winning their immediate rematch. This upset highlighted the potential for new challengers to disrupt established champions.
The list concludes with Amanda Nunes defeating Cris Cyborg in December 2018 at UFC 232. Cyborg had long sought a fight with Rousey but instead faced the new dominant force in the sport. Nunes stopped Cyborg in 51 seconds to become a two-division champion. The final entry is the March 2020 bout at UFC 248 between Zhang Weili and Joanna Jedrzejczyk. Weili won the strawweight title in a clash considered one of the greatest fights in MMA history, showcasing the high level of competition in the division.
