Ronda Rousey is on the verge of doing something special by becoming the first woman to gain massive amounts of fame solely through MMA competition.
Before Rousey, Gina Carano was the only female fighter to gain mainstream notoriety, and her popularity has been aided by a career in acting. Aside from Carano, ring girls like Arianny Celeste were far more well known than any women involved in MMA.
Thankfully, that is beginning to change with the UFC’s addition of a women’s bantamweight class.
The division will make its debut at UFC 157, where Rousey will defend her UFC belt against Liz Carmouche in the main event. If all goes according to plan, this fight could mark the beginning of many great opportunities for female fighters.
Before history is made on Saturday, let’s take a look at the five individuals who most helped women’s MMA get to the point where it is today.