Women's Strawweight (115 lbs)

The division

UFC Women's Strawweight is up to 115 lbs. Inaugurated in December 2014 via The Ultimate Fighter Season 20 tournament (Carla Esparza won the inaugural title). The division produced the most-decorated single-bout women's MMA fight ever (Zhang vs Joanna at UFC 248) and continues to be the most competitive women's weight class globally.

The champion lineage

• 2014: Carla Esparza — inaugural tournament winner
• 2015-2017: Joanna Jędrzejczyk — five consecutive title defenses, longest reign at championship pace
• 2017-2018: Rose Namajunas — first reign, two defenses
• 2018: Rose Namajunas → Jessica Andrade (slam KO at UFC 237)
• 2019: Jessica Andrade — one defense (lost to Zhang Weili)
• 2019-2021: Zhang Weili — first reign, two defenses
• 2021-2022: Rose Namajunas (second reign) — one defense
• 2022: Rose Namajunas → Carla Esparza (second Esparza reign, no defenses)
• 2022-present: Zhang Weili (second reign) — four defenses through 2025

The Joanna Jędrzejczyk era (2015-2017)

Joanna Jędrzejczyk's strawweight reign was the longest single-reign in the division's history at championship pace:

1. Carla Esparza (UFC 185, March 2015) — TKO round 2 (title-winning)
2. Jessica Penne (UFC Fight Night 69, June 2015) — TKO round 3
3. Valérie Létourneau (UFC 193, November 2015) — UD
4. Cláudia Gadelha 1 (UFC 187, May 2015) — split decision
5. Cláudia Gadelha 2 (TUF 23 Finale, July 2016) — UD
6. Karolina Kowalkiewicz (UFC 205, November 2016) — clinch-knee TKO
7. Jéssica Andrade (UFC 211, May 2017) — UD
8. Rose Namajunas (UFC 217, November 2017) — KO loss round 1

Joanna's reign featured high-volume Muay Thai striking. The Rose Namajunas KO at UFC 217 was the most decisive upset in modern women's MMA.

The Zhang Weili era and the Joanna war

Zhang Weili won the title from Jéssica Andrade at UFC Fight Night 157 (August 2019) — TKO in 42 seconds. The first Chinese UFC champion.

Defended once vs Joanna Jędrzejczyk at UFC 248 (March 2020) — UD in what's widely regarded as the greatest women's MMA fight ever. Then lost the title to Rose Namajunas at UFC 261 (April 2021) — head-kick KO at 78 seconds of round 1.

Lost the controversial rematch at UFC 268 (November 2021) by split decision. Regained the title at UFC 281 (November 2022) — submission of Carla Esparza via rear-naked choke round 2.

Second-reign defenses:

• vs Joanna Jędrzejczyk 2 (UFC 275, November 2021) — KO round 2
• vs Amanda Lemos (UFC 292, August 2023) — submission round 2
• vs Yan Xiaonan (UFC 300, April 2024) — UD
• vs Tatiana Suarez (UFC 312, February 2025) — UD

The GOAT case

Zhang Weili is the consensus all-time women's strawweight #1 as of 2025. Two reigns, six total title defenses, the Joanna war at UFC 248, and the win over Tatiana Suarez (the most-hyped strawweight contender of the decade) make her case decisive.

Joanna Jędrzejczyk holds the second-place case — five-defense single-reign, the longest at championship pace.

Rose Namajunas is the structural challenger — two-reign champion, the head-kick KO of Zhang at UFC 261 that's on the short list of greatest women's title finishes.

Notable bouts

• Rose Namajunas vs Joanna Jędrzejczyk 1 (UFC 217, November 2017): the title-changing KO upset.
• Zhang Weili vs Jessica Andrade (UFC Fight Night 157, August 2019): the 42-second title-winning TKO.
• Zhang Weili vs Joanna Jędrzejczyk 1 (UFC 248, March 2020): widely regarded as the greatest women's MMA fight in history.
• Rose Namajunas vs Zhang Weili 1 (UFC 261, April 2021): the 78-second head-kick KO.
• Zhang Weili vs Carla Esparza (UFC 281, November 2022): the title-reclaiming submission.
• Zhang Weili vs Joanna Jędrzejczyk 2 (UFC 275, November 2021): the KO that ended Joanna's competitive prime.
• Zhang Weili vs Tatiana Suarez (UFC 312, February 2025): the technically dominant defense vs the most-feared contender.

The women's strawweight division's combination of the UFC 248 war and the modern Zhang dominance makes it the most-storied women's weight class in MMA history.