Do the WMMA fights on UFC 300 card fall short of Amanda Nunes or Ronda Rousey's aura? A look into the star power of current female fighters
UFC 300 remains bereft of a headline bout. However, several key matchups have been announced for what ought to be the sport's marquee event this year. In particular, numerous WMMA fights have been added to the card, but there is a distinct lack of star power. There is no Ronda Rousey, nor an Amanda Nunes.
Both women rode off into the sunset of retirement, and the state of the UFC women's divisions has been called into question ever since. Thus far, UFC 300 features three WMMA bouts. The first is a strawweight title fight between the defending champion, Zhang Weili, and her challenger, Yan Xiaonan.
Elsewhere, former women's bantamweight titleholder Holly Holm welcomes two-time Olympic judo gold medalist and ex-PFL women's lightweight champion Kayla Harrison to the octagon for the very first time. And ex-UFC strawweight champion Jéssica Andrade takes on fellow Brazilian Marina Rodriguez.
The matchups aren't poor on paper, but many have dismissed them as not being UFC 300 caliber. But is this truly the case? Has star power in WMMA waned as badly as some fans suggest?
Does WMMA have the stars to enhance UFC 300?
Some fighters are well-known to the casual fanbase, while others are only appreciated by the hardcore fans who don't even dare miss a UFC Apex card. Ronda Rousey, with a career-best 1.1 million pay-per-view buys and crossover Hollywood appeal, was a star that hasn't come close to being matched in WMMA.
Meanwhile, Amanda Nunes has never truly been a star in the traditional sense. While she is a recognizable name, even to some of the casual fans, she never drew their attention, despite her all-action fighting style and nuclear punching power. She deserved better, but the truth is harsh.
Her disclosed pay-per-view sales were abysmal, with a career-low of 85,000 buys. The only events she headlined which sold well were either because she was facing Rousey or main eventing UFC 200, which benefitted tremendously from the return of blockbuster star, Brock Lesnar.
But Nunes, at the very least, was widely recognized as the greatest women's fighter of all time, so even if not a pay-per-view star, she had a noteworthy reputation. Regarding the state of WMMA in 2024, however, there is a noticeable absence of stars.
No one will ever recapture the magic of Rousey, but there should at least be a few names that resonate with fans. But besides the likes of former women's flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko, strawweight champion Zhang Weili, and brash trash-talker Julianna Peña, is anyone else even notable?
Holly Holm is well-known for authoring one of the greatest upsets in MMA history when she knocked Rousey out at UFC 193. But she failed to mount even one title defense, losing her unbeaten record in the process. She has since received three more title shots, failing each time. Now, she is 42 years old and declining.
Meanwhile, Shevchenko turns 36 in March, and her profile has diminished after failing to twice beat Alexa Grasso, with their first matchup costing her her women's flyweight crown. Zhang, while beloved and exciting, is unproven as a star, having never headlined a pay-per-view to test her drawing power.
Furthermore, her UFC 300 opponent, Yan Xaionan, is hardly known outside of the hardcore fanbase. Elsewhere, Peña only recently came into the limelight by upsetting Nunes at UFC 269. Their rematch at UFC 277 was highly anticipated, but no pay-per-view numbers were disclosed.
And given that Peña lost in lopsided fashion and was on the receiving end of three knockdowns, her star power has likely dimmed. There is also Rose Namajunas, a former champion who sold 110,000 buys in the only event she headlined. But what of Kayla Harrison?
Despite being a two-time Olympic champion, that has never translated into drawing potential, nor does being an import from the PFL, a largely unknown promotion in the mainstream world. She is untested, and much of her mystique stemmed from her undefeated record, which she no longer has.
So, the truth of the matter is that WMMA is sorely lacking stars, at least the kind that can enhance UFC 300 in any meaningful way. A Rousey return has been ruled out by UFC CEO Dana White, and the only other option is not within the realm of possibility when examined.
Nunes has flirted with the idea of returning to the octagon, and one of her past opponents, Cris Cyborg, expressed an interest in facing her at UFC 300. This, however, is unlikely to happen. Not only did the WMMA legend leave the UFC on very poor terms, but she is currently signed to the PFL/Bellator.
Having already parted with Harrison, it is unlikely that the PFL/Bellator will allow another one of their marquee names to bolster the UFC 300 card. Furthermore, White was adamant about never doing business with Cyborg following their falling out. As far as WMMA is concerned, this generation is devoid of options.