In the rush to build a credible women’s bantamweight division for the UFC, fans can expect to see Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann in the Octagon soon enough.
At an undefeated 6-0 record in her mixed martial arts career, McMann has seen a sharp rise in competition culminate with an Invicta FC main event match against top-ranked opponent Shayna Baszler. According to McMann’s Twitter account (via MMA Junkie), her camp is currently in talks with Zuffa about a contract:
Everyone keeps asking me if I am in the @ufc… All I know is that it is “in the works”. Thank you for your support 🙂 — Sara McMann (@Sara_McMann) November 20, 2012
So far, the UFC has only officially signed Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, although several other female fighters have been rumored as likely additions to the 135-pound roster.
Of female bantamweight fighters currently on contract with soon-to-be-defunct promotion Strikeforce (owned by UFC parent company Zuffa), the list includes former champions Miesha Tate and Sarah Kaufman, as well as Liz Carmouche, Julia Budd, Alexis Davis, Julie Kedzie, Amanda Nunes, Cat Zingano, Germaine de Randamie, and Japanese standout Hiroko Yamanaka.
UFC president Dana White confirmed that he was focusing solely on a 135-pound women’s division. No one else in the promotion has yet cited any firm evidence of building other weight classes.
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