The 125lb flyweight division is one that fans and fighters have been campaigning for the UFC to add for a very long time. The division is one of the largest and fastest growing in women’s MMA. Many fighters are simply too big for strawweight but too small for bantamweight, and are performing at their best in this weight class. Currently Invicta FC and Bellator MMA are the premier promotions to feature the division.

The Invicta FC flyweight champion, Brazil’s Jennifer Maia (14-4-1) has cemented her place as the number one flyweight in the world over the past twelve months. The 28 year old is currently on a five fight win streak including victories over top fifteen competitors (#4) Vanessa Porto and (#6) Roxanne Modafferi. She has showed tremendous improvement from her early days of competing. Porto had defeated her via round two armbar back in 2011, but Maia avenged the loss in March 2016.

A woman who plans to take Maia’s limelight as the best flyweight in the world from her is the very confident 21 year old Agnieszka Niedzwiedz from Poland. She is currently undefeated with an impressive 9-0-0 record. She’s the number five ranked flyweight in the world and the highest ranked flyweight competitor signed to Invicta FC who Maia has not yet fought. She recently told us “We are doing everything to get a title fight. I hope that in my next fight I’ll get a title shot or at least a fight that will bring me very close to that fight. I will be very happy to fight Maia next,” she continued “she is Invicta FC champion and has something that I want to take from her.” Niedzwiedz has looked unstoppable ever since her pro debut, using her world class Judo skills to her advantage. She enjoys finishing her opponents with five of her wins coming by way of TKO and two coming by submissions, an armbar and a triangle choke.

Former UFC star Rin Nakai (19-2-1) sits at number two in the rankings. Nakai’s sole losses come to Miesha Tate and Leslie Smith, when she was competing for the UFC as a bantamweight. She is undefeated at 125lb, with her most impressive win being a unanimous decision over (#3) Sarah D’Alelio back in May 2014. She appears more hungry than ever since her UFC release and currently competes at RIZIN FF.

Bellator MMA have recently begun a flyweight division, with the signing of (#3) Sarah D’Alelio. They have been developing the division, with several new stars emerging over the last 12 months who’ve been getting a lot of attention. (#9) Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (5-0-0) has fast become a fan favourite thanks to her devastating victories which include submissions and knockouts. (#11) Rebecca Ruth (6-2-0) is another fighter who enjoys finishing fights with five wins via TKO, her only Bellator loss comes to Macfarlane. (#14) Anastasia Yankova (4-0-0) has been receiving a lot of attention as of late, thanks to her beautiful looks, but has also backed up the hype with two armbar wins and one armlock. Former Muay Thai, Kickboxing and Karate Kickboxing world champion Lena Ovhchynnikova (14-4-0) is another fighter to watch, making her way to fifteen in the world rankings.

Elsewhere Russia’s Julia Berezikova sits at #7, China’s Jingnan Xiong who is on a four fight win streak is at #8, Invicta FC star Andrea Lee completes the top ten at #10. Juliete de Souza from Brazil is currently at #12 and hopes to make her way to Invicta or Bellator soon, whilst undefeated Brogan Walker from Guam is at #13.

(Click HERE to view the top fifteen ranked flyweights).

Do you think Agnieszka Niedzwiedz has what it takes to take out number one flyweight Jennifer Maia? Should Bellator MMA consider starting a belt for their roster? Who do you think will be the number one flyweight a year from now? Let us know your opinions in the comments below.

Share this: Facebook

Twitter

Email

