Mixed martial arts is dominated by men, and while a few believe it should remain that way, women's professional MMA competitions have been going strong since the 2006 bout between Elaina Maxwell and Gina Carano. These women are tough competitors who bring the same level of dedication to the sport as the men and aren't leaving the arena anytime in the near future.
While several organizations promote women's fighting, Strikeforce arguably has been the top promoter of mainstream women's MMA. The Carano-Santos bout in 2009 drew in nearly a million viewers, so the women can definitely attract some attention from MMA fans.
Gina Carano is arguably one of the sport's top fighters and boasts a 7-1 record with her only loss being during the Santos fight in 2009. She also fought professionally as a kickboxer, earning a 12-1-1 record. Carano is known as "the face of women's MMA," although she has not entered the arena since her loss against Santos.
Santos earned the title of Strikeforce Women's Featherweight champion after defeating Gina Carano. Santos is definitely one of the key figures of women's MMA, boasting an impressive 10-1-1 record in professional bouts. Her last fight, a TKO against Hiroko Yamananka in 2011, was overturned after Santos tested positive for steroids and suspended. She appealed this suspension on the basis that she did not knowingly take any illegal substance, but was shut down by the California Athletic Commission. She will, however, be eligible to fight in late 2012, so she is sure to become a force in MMA again.
While Ronda Rousey might not have the strong record of other top MMA women, she is definitely one of the sport's most entertaining competitors, both in and out of the arena. In addition to an undefeated record of five wins, she is the currently women's bantamweight champ after defeating Miesha Tate. She is also a two-time Olympian, competing in Judo and both the 2004 and 2008 games.
While Miesha Tate might have lost her title to Rousey, she still boasts a strong 12-3 pro record and is consistently on top ten lists when considering women fighters. A former champion high school wrestler, she also has an impressive MMA amateur career, winning five of her six bouts before turning pro.
Despite her lack of Strikeforce experience, Tara LaRosa is considered to be one of the best female mixed martial artists ever. Her 21-2 record is impressive, but because she weighs in at only around 125, there are no weight classes for her in Strikeforce. Despite this she has defeated tough opponents such as Megumi Yabushita and Shayna Baszler.
While several organizations promote women's fighting, Strikeforce arguably has been the top promoter of mainstream women's MMA. The Carano-Santos bout in 2009 drew in nearly a million viewers, so the women can definitely attract some attention from MMA fans.
Gina Carano is arguably one of the sport's top fighters and boasts a 7-1 record with her only loss being during the Santos fight in 2009. She also fought professionally as a kickboxer, earning a 12-1-1 record. Carano is known as "the face of women's MMA," although she has not entered the arena since her loss against Santos.
Santos earned the title of Strikeforce Women's Featherweight champion after defeating Gina Carano. Santos is definitely one of the key figures of women's MMA, boasting an impressive 10-1-1 record in professional bouts. Her last fight, a TKO against Hiroko Yamananka in 2011, was overturned after Santos tested positive for steroids and suspended. She appealed this suspension on the basis that she did not knowingly take any illegal substance, but was shut down by the California Athletic Commission. She will, however, be eligible to fight in late 2012, so she is sure to become a force in MMA again.
While Ronda Rousey might not have the strong record of other top MMA women, she is definitely one of the sport's most entertaining competitors, both in and out of the arena. In addition to an undefeated record of five wins, she is the currently women's bantamweight champ after defeating Miesha Tate. She is also a two-time Olympian, competing in Judo and both the 2004 and 2008 games.
While Miesha Tate might have lost her title to Rousey, she still boasts a strong 12-3 pro record and is consistently on top ten lists when considering women fighters. A former champion high school wrestler, she also has an impressive MMA amateur career, winning five of her six bouts before turning pro.
Despite her lack of Strikeforce experience, Tara LaRosa is considered to be one of the best female mixed martial artists ever. Her 21-2 record is impressive, but because she weighs in at only around 125, there are no weight classes for her in Strikeforce. Despite this she has defeated tough opponents such as Megumi Yabushita and Shayna Baszler.
About the Author:
Rod Bourgoine likes talking about mixed martial arts benefits. To get more details about an MMA gym in San Diego or to find boxing classes in San Diego, please visit The Arena MMA website today.
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