Where We Stand: Women's Bantamweight Division | June 2025

Outlook: Harrison didn’t waste any time proving she is the best bantamweight in the world. She controlled Peña early, and in the waning seconds of the second round, she cranked a kimura which forced the quick tap from the now former champion. Since entering the UFC, it always felt like Harrison was on a collision course with Amanda Nunes. All she needed was UFC gold to coax the consensus G.O.A.T. out of retirement, and all signs point toward that matchup coming to fruition. Nunes floated the idea of the fight coming together toward the end of the year, which should give Harrison enough time to enjoy the fruits of her labor and begin the grueling process to make championship weight once again. There isn’t a bigger fight to make in the women’s divisions, and Harrison-Nunes is one of the most anticipated matchups of the decade.

1) Julianna Peña

Last Fight: Submission Loss vs Kayla Harrison (6/8/2025)

Next fight: N/A

Outlook: Peña failed to defend the title, and her road to becoming a three-time champion is a little murky. However, if Nunes comes back and wrests the title from Harrison, Pena is the only active fighter who boasts a win over the “Lioness,” and she could parlay that feat into a potential trilogy bout. Otherwise, Peña has some work to do to get back into a title fight.

2) Raquel Pennington

Last Fight: Split Decision Loss vs Julianna Peña (10/5/2024)

Next fight: N/A

Outlook: “Rocky” hasn’t fought since losing a razor-close decision to Peña in their title fight, and it’s unclear what the former champion might do next. She has wins over Ketlen Vieira and Macy Chiasson, so perhaps a rematch with Peña could be a good step toward regaining the title.The only other top 5 fight that could make sense for Pennington is a matchup with Norma Dumont.

3) Ketlen Vieira

Last Fight: Unanimous Decision Win vs Macy Chiasson (5/31/2025)

Next fight: N/A

Outlook: Vieira picked up a nice bounce-back win over Macy Chiasson in Las Vegas, but it comes with the asterisk that she needed the fight to be held at featherweight at the last moment. The Brazilian has been in and around the title picture for a while, but inconsistency has marred her case for gold. With a Nunes-Harrison matchup imminent, Vieira will likely need to prove herself once again and also show she can reliably hit championship weight.

4) Norma Dumont

Last Fight: Unanimous Decision Win vs Irene Aldana (9/14/2024)

Next fight: N/A

Outlook: Somewhat quietly, Dumont has put together a five-fight win streak and boasts an 8-2 record in the Octagon since joining the promotion in 2020. However, difficulties hitting the bantamweight limit plagued her momentum until, in 2024, she did so twice while picking up wins over Germaine de Randamie and Irene Aldana. Dumont has the luxury of not having fought anyone else in the top 5 other than a split decision loss to Chiasson in 2022, so her options are abundant as far as earning a win to get in and around the title picture.

5) Macy Chiasson

Last Fight: Unanimous Decision Loss vs Ketlen Vieira (5/31/2025)

Next fight: N/A

Outlook: It felt like Chiasson unlocked something in 2024, picking up a pair of finishes over Pannie Kianzad and Mayra Bueno Silva. However, the Louisiana native’s momentum halted when she couldn’t produce the same magic against Vieira. Still, the ever-improving 33-year-old feels like she is still coming into her own. She has already fought about half of the division’s top 7, so her path is a little cloudier. Chiasson is likely two or three wins away from the title picture.  

In the Mix: Amanda Nunes

Outlook: Since the pre-fight press conference in Miami, all signs pointed toward Amanda Nunes’ return to the Octagon. The former two-division champion laid her gloves and belts down In June 2023, but there was always a lingering sense that we hadn’t seen the last of “The Lioness.” After some time spent resting with her family, Nunes appears ready to reclaim her throne. Her interest in unseating Harrison was always there, and now that Harrison holds the belt that was once hers, it seems like Nunes’ motivation and interest is piqued. The face-off with Harrison in the Octagon was respectfully intense, and the buildup to that fight should be more of the same as the world awaits another Nunes’ championship fight.