5 female UFC fighters who are tougher than they look

In the world of MMA, it’s a well-known fact that looks aren’t everything. Sure, the likes of Robbie Lawler, Cain Velasquez and Andrei Arlovski look like they were born to beat up other human beings inside the Octagon, but for every Lawler or Velasquez, there’s a Frankie Edgar, Daniel Cormier or Demian Maia – world-class fighters who look like everyday guys.

The world of Women’s MMA is perhaps even more striking when it comes to this. Women like Cris Cyborg, Amanda Nunes and Megan Anderson definitely look like genuine badasses, but there are plenty of great female fighters who are far tougher than their looks would suggest – and who are equally violent as any other fighter, male or female, on the UFC roster.

Here are 5 UFC women who are way tougher than they look.

#1 Felice Herrig

Herrig has been fighting for over a decade

Experienced Strawweight Felice Herrig is well known as both a part-time model and a self-confessed cosplayer. Her good looks and photogenic nature – as well as a willingness to pose in revealing shoots – have combined to make her one of the UFC’s most followed fighters on Instagram, with 354k followers – a surprising number given she hasn’t been pushed as a major star by the promotion.

‘Lil Bulldog’ is far tougher than her Instagram image would suggest, though. A veteran of 22 professional MMA fights – 8 of them inside the UFC Octagon – Herrig has proven herself a tough cookie to crack throughout her career, as despite losing 8 fights, she’s never been finished and has only ever lost by decision.

Outside of MMA, she’s also a notable kickboxer, purportedly holding an impressive record of 23 wins and just 5 losses. Judging by her photos you’d be forgiven for thinking Herrig is just a pretty face – but that’d be doing her a massive disservice.

#2 Paige VanZant

Paige VanZant has competed on Dancing With The Stars - but she's tougher than she looks

Over her 5-year UFC career, Paige VanZant has received plenty of criticism from fans of the UFC who feel she gets an unfair push from the promotion, who are simply attempting to capitalise on her good looks rather than her fighting skills. While ’12 Gauge’ admittedly hasn’t proven herself as a title contender, to write her off in that way would be thoroughly unfair.

VanZant – a former model who’s also starred on Dancing With The Stars, finishing second in the 2016 edition of the show – holds a solid record of 7-4 and her losses to Tecia Torres, Michelle Waterson and current UFC Strawweight champ Rose Namajunas are absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. She also has big wins over hardened veterans like Felice Herrig and Bec Rawlings.

It was in her loss to Namajunas that VanZant really demonstrated her insane toughness, though. Despite being outgrappled throughout the fight and taking a tremendous beating, ’12 Gauge’ hung in there and refused to go away without a fight – finally being forced to tap out to a rear naked choke in the 5th round. Despite taking an incredible beatdown, VanZant proved that she’s far tougher than her cute looks would suggest.

#3 Roxanne Modafferi

Roxanne Modafferi simply doesn't look like a fighter at all

Current Flyweight contender Roxanne Modafferi is one of the longest-serving veterans in female MMA. ‘The Happy Warrior’ has been fighting professionally since 2003, and with a record of 22-15 she’s basically fought a who’s who of the sport over the years, from Shayna Baszler and Marloes Coenen to Andrea Lee and Raquel Pennington.

She also looks nothing like what you’d expect a professional MMA fighter to look like. Unlike fighters like Michelle Waterson and Paige VanZant, Modafferi doesn’t sport model-like good looks, but she doesn’t look like a badass like Cris Cyborg or Amanda Nunes either.

Modafferi is more like the female equivalent to a Kenny Florian or Joe Lauzon – she simply looks like an average woman, the type of person who would sit quietly in the corner at a wild party and avoid eye contact. With a smiley personality to match her unassuming looks, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Modafferi would be a pushover inside the Octagon – but that’s far from the case, as her current UFC rank of #7 – and recent win over Barb Honchak – shows.

#4 Michelle Waterson

Michelle Waterson's good looks have earned her her 'Karate Hottie' nickname

The fact that Michelle Waterson is known as ‘The Karate Hottie’ should tell you a lot about exactly why the Strawweight contender is far tougher than she looks. An MMA veteran dating back to 2007, Waterson also worked as a model from 2004 prior to taking up the sport full-time and rose to fame on the MTV kickboxing-themed reality show Fight Girls, which also starred Felice Herrig.

Waterson’s good looks and athletic build would admittedly suggest some kind of background in martial arts – which is accurate given she’s been practicing karate since the age of 10, hence the nickname – but at a glance, it’s hard to believe she’s ever been punched full-force in the face. Anyone who’s followed her UFC career would know that isn’t the case.

Waterson currently holds a UFC record of 4-2, but in most of her fights including her victories, she’s had to fight through plenty of adversity. Tough fights with Felice Herrig and Cortney Casey saw her edge judges’ decisions, while her loss to Rose Namajunas saw her badly hurt with a head kick before she was submitted. Win or lose, ‘The Karate Hottie’ is one of the toughest women in the UFC – belying her good looks.

#5 Maycee Barber

Maycee Barber's baby face belies a ferocious style inside the Octagon

Maycee ‘The Future’ Barber, who debuted in the UFC in 2018 following a win on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series, is one of the youngest fighters on the promotion’s roster at just 20 years old. Somehow though, the rising Strawweight star doesn’t even look that old – realistically, she probably wouldn’t look out of place at most high schools.

Standing at just 5’5” and sporting a cute smile, you’d be forgiven for thinking Barber was not a professional MMA fighter at all – and yet when she’s locked inside the Octagon, ‘The Future’ becomes one of the most aggressive fighters in her division.

Her 6-fight MMA career has seen her finish 5 of her opponents before the final buzzer, and her assault on Hannah Cifers in her UFC debut – leading to a second-round TKO due to elbow strikes – was one of the most ferocious ever seen in the Strawweight division. She might have a baby face, but Maycee Barber is not a fighter to be messed with.