In this three-part series, I will choose my top UFC women’s prospects for 2021. They all had a first taste of life in the UFC last year, so I will detail their background and explain why, in my opinion, they are the ones to keep your eyes on during 2021.
3rd: Miranda Maverick
UFC record: 1-0 – TKO. Now 8-2 overall.
Age 23. American. Background in Brazilian jiu-jitsu (brown belt), kickboxing, and Muay Thai. Flyweight.
Miranda Maverick is the Invicta FC Phoenix Series 2 flyweight tournament winner. She had ended 2019 with this tournament victory and was keen to build on it in 2020.
Although an Invicta FC title shot failed to materialize, Maverick put on a dominant display against former UFC fighter Pearl Gonzalez in February, securing a unanimous decision victory in which she won every round, even being scored 30-26 by one judge. After this performance, she was signed by the UFC.
Paired with Mara Romero Borella for a UFC debut in June 2020, Maverick had to face the disappointment of pulling out of the fight due to an injury, meaning her Octagon debut would have to wait.
However, when it arrived she was placed as one of the early prelims of UFC 254 in October against Liana Jojua, who had won six of her last seven bouts. Maverick showed why her nickname is “Fear The” Maverick when she opened up a nasty cut on her opponent’s nose in the first round, causing a doctor stoppage between the first and second rounds and seeing her win the contest by TKO.
No Octagon jitters here! 🙅♀️
Miranda Maverick doing serious damage early! #UFC254 pic.twitter.com/ySsobf52Nj
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) October 24, 2020
Maverick’s statistics now stand at one TKO, five submissions, and two unanimous decision victories from her eight wins, and she has finished five of these in the first round. Her only professional defeats have been by decision.
The stoppage victory on her UFC debut was the first KO/TKO win of Maverick’s career and means she has now won her last four contests in a row. With three finishes and a one-sided decision victory in that run, Maverick goes into 2021 full of confidence and looking to build on a brilliant start to her UFC career.
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