While there are still a few people out there that would say women shouldn't be in the octagon unless they are holding up a round card, women are making their presence known in the world of mixed martial arts. It's definitely taken a while for the ladies to garner some respect, although organizations such as Strikeforce and Bellator recognized the potential of women's MMA far before UFC let them compete. Women fighters have made some significant strides in the last few years, proving their power and profitability.
Clearly, the two recent women's bouts in the UFC have been key moments in the history of women's mixed martial arts. The first bout at UFC 157 was the main event of the night, a bout between Liz Carmouche and Ronda Rousey. At UFC 168, the women were still on the main card, although Rousey and opponent Meisha Tate were set as the fight prior to the big event of the night, the rematch between Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman. Of course, there probably aren't any fighters in mixed martial arts today who wouldn't have come in second to that bout.
The creation of Invicta Fighting Championships in 2012 is definitely a mark showing that there is enough interest in women's MMA to warrant the creation of an organization solely for female fighters. Whether or not Invicta has staying power remains to be seen, but it generated enough interest for Dana White to open up a strawweight division and sign nearly a dozen of Invicta's best strawweights to UFC contracts.
Another key moment for women in the sport was the selection of Meisha Tate and Ronda Rousey as the coaches for The Ultimate Fighter. This was the first time that women served as the coaches on this popular reality TV show. The drama between Tate and Rousey was entertaining to watch, but both proved to be excellent team leaders, and say whatever you want about Rousey, she has definitely increased interest in women's MMA.
Of course, it's not just within the world of mixed martial arts that the women are gaining more respect. Many single martial arts have some excellent fighters, including Muay Thai. Tiffany Van Soest, for example, is considered one of the best kickboxers in the country, and her bout with Caley Reece is a headlining event for Lion Fight, one of the United States' top Muay Thai kickboxing organizations.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu also has its fair share of exceptional female athletes competing for various titles. Leticia Ribeiro, for example, has won more than one dozen jiu-jitsu championships. As a light featherweight, Ribeiro has won the World Brazilian Jiu-Jistu Championship for her division for the last four years.
Clearly, the two recent women's bouts in the UFC have been key moments in the history of women's mixed martial arts. The first bout at UFC 157 was the main event of the night, a bout between Liz Carmouche and Ronda Rousey. At UFC 168, the women were still on the main card, although Rousey and opponent Meisha Tate were set as the fight prior to the big event of the night, the rematch between Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman. Of course, there probably aren't any fighters in mixed martial arts today who wouldn't have come in second to that bout.
The creation of Invicta Fighting Championships in 2012 is definitely a mark showing that there is enough interest in women's MMA to warrant the creation of an organization solely for female fighters. Whether or not Invicta has staying power remains to be seen, but it generated enough interest for Dana White to open up a strawweight division and sign nearly a dozen of Invicta's best strawweights to UFC contracts.
Another key moment for women in the sport was the selection of Meisha Tate and Ronda Rousey as the coaches for The Ultimate Fighter. This was the first time that women served as the coaches on this popular reality TV show. The drama between Tate and Rousey was entertaining to watch, but both proved to be excellent team leaders, and say whatever you want about Rousey, she has definitely increased interest in women's MMA.
Of course, it's not just within the world of mixed martial arts that the women are gaining more respect. Many single martial arts have some excellent fighters, including Muay Thai. Tiffany Van Soest, for example, is considered one of the best kickboxers in the country, and her bout with Caley Reece is a headlining event for Lion Fight, one of the United States' top Muay Thai kickboxing organizations.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu also has its fair share of exceptional female athletes competing for various titles. Leticia Ribeiro, for example, has won more than one dozen jiu-jitsu championships. As a light featherweight, Ribeiro has won the World Brazilian Jiu-Jistu Championship for her division for the last four years.
About the Author:
Rod Bourgoine enjoys writing about mixed martial arts benefits. To get more information about martial arts San Diego or to find San Diego boxing classes, go to The Arena MMA website today.
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