If you’re an MMA fan, there is no doubt that you have taken notice of the women making a name for themselves in this sport. Once considered a man’s sport, women fighters are all the rage today. Tough as nails and equally as exciting to watch as the men, women have emerged onto the scene as true entertainment. Names like Cyborg, Ronda Rousey, Mesha Tate, Holly Homes, and Amanda Nunez have become household names around the globe, but have you ever heard of Megan Anderson? If not, you need to recognize, because this girl is making some noise in her division. Continue reading to learn more about this Aussie MMA fighter.
Megan Anderson is a new face on the MMA scene and is making her way through the ranks to challenge the top women in the sport. Initially entering the scene of boxing, she became involved in mixed martial arts in 2013 and has been successful in growing her talents and popularity since. She trained at facilities in Canberra, as well as studying martial arts in Sydney. As MMA continues to grow as a sport, we are seeing more boxers and athletes from other sports make the transition into MMA. Take Greg Hardy and Herchel Walker, for example.
Before MMA
Born in Queensland, she was educated at an all-girls school before moving to Canberra in order to join the Australian Army. Two years of service saw her returning home for treatment and a move home to the Gold Coast, where she found a job as a receptionist and began boxing. The people she met through boxing introduced her to the MMA, and as her focus shifted, she found herself on a path to the championship.
Early Career
Her invitation to the UFC was fostered by her Invicta Fight Championship in 2017, earning herself the featherweight champion title. From there, her path was set, and she continued to gather wins. Debuting against Holly Ham at UFC 225 in June 2018, she lost that first fight and went on to win at UFC 232 in December of 2018. Moving forward to face a list of top fighters and attending several MMA events.
With a failure to renew a contract that was initially for six fights at the end of March 2021. After that, she remained a free agent and was not signed for another. Fighting in a division with few challengers makes it difficult for an athlete to compete at a high level. Often, fighters will need to move up in weight to find more opportunities to fight, but this isn’t always the ideal situation for the smaller fighters.
What’s Next?
Free to sign a contract when offered, she has chosen to take time off to determine her next steps. At 31 years old, she is listed as number 5 in the women’s featherweight rankings from the USA Today. With so few under contract for the featherweight division, under 145 lbs, there is consideration of the division being closed, but no final decision has been made. Maybe the UFC or another major promotion can build that division into an exciting and challenging one for these athletes.
