The growth of women’s MMA is undeniable these days. The UFC is pushing a new women’s bantamweight division, while promotions like Invicta Fighting Championships are dedicated solely to women’s fighting.
While Bellator MMA recently took a step back from promoting women’s MMA, another player in the game has decided to test out the waters by forming a new division in 2014.
World Series of Fighting will begin scouting and looking to add a women’s division to its growing roster of fighters. The first bouts between women are expected to take place early next year.
According to senior vice president and matchmaker Ali Abdel-Aziz, who confirmed the move with Bleacher Report on late Tuesday evening, the plan is to start scouring the world for the best women available to add to the World Series of Fighting roster as soon as possible.
Abdel-Aziz said the organization is looking to promote women’s MMA right away, but he isn’t setting a course for specific weight classes or adding championships just yet.
The goal for now is to find the best female fighters on the planet to make top fights happen, and WSOF will go from there in terms of adding depth and new athletes and growing competition.
Women’s MMA has been at the forefront of the sport throughout 2013 when the UFC finally got on board by adding a women’s division led by bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey.
The promotion also focused on the women’s division with the latest season of The Ultimate Fighter, which is coached by Rousey and her next opponent, Miesha Tate. They are currently coaching bantamweight men and women on the reality show.
It marked the first time in the 18-season history of the show that women had been allowed to compete as contestants. Rousey and Tate are also the first-ever female coaches.
Meanwhile, Invicta FC has continued to grow its platform as an all-women’s MMA promotion by signing top names like Cristiane ‘”Cyborg” Justino among others. Invicta FC moved to pay-per-view earlier this year as well.
Now it appears women’s fighting will have a new home with World Series of Fighting getting into the game.
Abdel-Aziz said that he will begin scouting for talent immediately with matches likely to begin in early 2014.
Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.
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