Most Anticipated Fights in Female MMA 2018
Awareness of female MMA has become popular although it has been around only for a few years. During this short history, UFC has delivered numerous unforgettable fights. Some of these matches were so exciting and entertaining that they would warrant a second bout. Whether it was because of a close call or it had a controversial ending, it is these rivalries between the top fighters that get the fans juices going.
UFC did an okay job with the matches in 2017, but the expectation is higher in 2018. The one remarkable fight that is still the talk of the town was between Namajunas vs. Jedrzejczk. Will we have more of this at UFC 2018? Well, here is a list of the most anticipated female fights in MMA 2018.
Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Rose Namajunas “Thug Rose” (115)
“Thug Rose” did the unexpected at UFC 217 and won. It was such a surprise that nobody saw it coming. She had built up momentum in 216 with three consecutive wins which she saw go down the drain with a spit call that saw the fight go on Karolina Kowalkiewicz’s way. This win was a great mileage for her. 5 months after the fight, Joanna will get an immediate rematch after her strawweight title loss. “Thug Rose” is set to defend the 115-pound title which saw her claim the belt in April. This will be a captivating match since Joanna will try to reclaim her title.
Valentina “Bullet” Shevchenko vs. Priscila Cachoeira
The 3rd of Feb is the big day for this match. This is the type of female fight that everyone knows will produce fireworks. “Bullet” is coming off a controversial decision loss to Amanda Nunes. She will meet promotional newbie Priscila at UFC Friday night. Priscila is one of the promising young talents, and this will be a vital step in her career at the beginning of the year. This is a classic case of old versus new!
Jessica “Bate Estaca” Andrade vs. Tecia Torres (115)
Another interesting match that has high anticipation in February is between Jessica and Tecia. Jessica has been coming out victorious in her last 4 out of 5 octagon appearances. Her defeat was to Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 211. Recently, she earned a unanimous verdict over Claudia Gadelha. This will be such a refreshing pair to watch since Tecia, on the other hand, has lost once in 7 outings. A true definition of “head to head.”
Cristiane Justino vs. Amanda Nunes (135)
This is the fight that everybody would like to see in 2018. Though not confirmed, Dana White recently said that UFC is working on it. This would be an epic match to witness. Cristiane who is considered as the female version of Wanderlei Silva successfully defended her featherweight with a win over former 135-pound champ Holly Holm. Amanda, who is the UFC women’s bantamweight champ, seems more open to this fight. With both of them holding such titles, it can be hard to predict who will win.
Felice Herrig vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz (115)
Former women’s strawweight title challenger Karolina is expected to take on Felice at UFC 223 in a 115-pound affair. This will be an exciting fight since Felice seems to be on a winning streak. She has won 4 times in a row since April 2015. However, Karolina has not been lucky in recent previous fights. She faced defeat by Joanna Jedrzejczyk in her 2016 title challenge at UFC 205. Will Felice continue her winning streak or will Karolina finally have a clean break?
Conclusion
Women still do face a harder time compared to men in getting fights. As their awareness is increasing, UFC is hoping that the industry will thrive. From the above female fights, 2018 is anticipated to be huge. UFC has outdone themselves with such a controversial line up of matches.
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