30 greatest female athletes of all time

2. Amanda Nunes
Mixed Martian Arts

Amanda Nunes is the most dominant person in MMA history. The Brazilian stunner took out every big name in female UFC history. She beat Ronda Rousey, Shayna Baszler, Valentina Shevchenko, Miesha Tate, and Holly Holm. She won 11 title fights, a women’s record in the sport. 

Nunes was great because she could win by any means necessary. Was she facing someone with a ground weakness? She would take you down early and often. Did someone have a weak chin? She was going to knock you out. Did you have trouble when locked in a submission? That rear-naked choke was inevitable. Nunes could beat her opponent every single way, and she went into the fight knowing exactly how she wanted it to end. 

She did lose twice in the UFC, but she avenged her second loss to Julianna Pena, taking her to a decision at UFC 277. She was supposed to face her in a trilogy fight at UFC 289, but Pena was forced to step away and Irene Aldana had to fight in her place. Nunes dominated the matchup, beating her with triple the strikes and a 6-0 takedown advantage. It was light work for her, just like the Rousey fight. Nunes went into the fight of the behemoths when Rousey returned to the UFC. Her return lasted less than a minute, as Nunes viciously knocked her out.

This is a woman whose dominance might never be duplicated in the sport. Everyone loses once in a while in UFC, so the loss to Pena doesn’t blemish her resume. Nunes announced her retirement after UFC 289, although she has teased a possible return.