Main Card Media

The UFC women’s strawweight division at 115 pounds is the oldest and most competitive of the UFC’s women’s divisions. Zhang Weili’s championship reign has entered a new phase of dominance, and the contender pool features a mix of elite strikers, grapplers, and well-rounded threats who make the division compelling at every level.

UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion

Zhang Weili (c) — Magnum’s championship has been defined by power, aggression, and the willingness to engage even when opponents are dangerous. The Chinese champion combines elite striking with wrestling credentials that give her multiple paths to victory in any fight. Her ability to impose her will on high-level opponents makes her the clear best fighter at 115 pounds.

Top 10 Strawweight Contenders

#1 — Yan Xiaonan

The Chinese striker has emerged as the most credentialed challenger at 115 pounds. Yan’s volume punching, work rate, and competitive toughness make her the obvious number-one contender, and a rematch with Weili would be both a stylistically interesting fight and a culturally significant event for the sport’s expanding Chinese audience.

#2 — Rose Namajunas

Thug Rose’s two championship reigns and technical precision keep her permanently in the contender conversation. Her ability to match Weili’s aggression with counter-punching and movement has produced competitive exchanges in their previous encounters, and her pedigree at this weight class makes her a legitimate title challenger on any given night.

#3 — Tatiana Suarez

When healthy, Suarez may be the most dominant wrestler in women’s MMA history. Her ability to take opponents down, maintain top control, and deliver ground-and-pound makes her a nightmare matchup for any strawweight who hasn’t solved the problem of elite grappling from top position. Injury history is the only thing that has prevented a title shot.

#4 — Claudia Gadelha

The veteran Brazilian continues to bring elite jiu-jitsu and competitive toughness to the top of the division. Gadelha’s persistence and submission game keep her relevant against younger contenders, and her experience at the highest level of the division is genuine and hard-earned.

#5 — Mackenzie Dern

Arguably the most naturally gifted submission grappler in women’s MMA. Dern’s BJJ is world-class, and she’s demonstrated the ability to finish top-ranked opponents with submission grappling that operates at a level above most fighters in the division. Her striking development has been the story of her MMA career.

#6 — Virna Jandiroba

Spider Kick’s grappling credentials and submission instinct make her a legitimate threat in any fight that reaches the ground. Her ability to finish from unconventional positions and maintain the patience for submission setups has produced notable wins in the division’s top 10.

#7 — Amanda Lemos

The Brazilian has built a strong record at strawweight with power striking and submission capability that create finishing potential in every fight. Lemos has demonstrated the ability to finish ranked opponents and competes consistently at the top of the division.

#8 — Marina Rodriguez

The experienced Brazilian striker brings volume punching and technical precision to the strawweight top 10. Rodriguez’s output and combinations make her a difficult fight for anyone in the top 15, and her experience at the highest level keeps her in the contender conversation.

#9 — Luana Pinheiro

The submission grappler continues to climb the strawweight rankings with consistent performances. Pinheiro’s jiu-jitsu and wrestling credentials give her a genuine finishing path against opponents who underestimate her ground game.

#10 — Talia Santos

The rising Brazilian fighter has shown flashes of genuine top-10 quality with athletic, aggressive performances. Santos’ willingness to engage and finishing instinct make her a dangerous opponent for anyone in the division’s rankings.

Division Outlook

Weili vs. Yan is the most logical title fight at 115, and the cultural dimension of two elite Chinese fighters competing for the women’s strawweight championship would give the event significance beyond just the sports narrative. Suarez’s return to activity could reshape the title picture quickly given her quality when healthy.

The Dern vs. Namajunas matchup — striker versus grappler at the highest level of the division — would resolve a meaningful contender question and likely produce an entertaining, high-stakes fight for the winner’s place in the title picture.

Rankings updated April 2026. Follow @MainCard_Media for live updates and fight night coverage.