Mother’s Day is a time to celebrate and acknowledge all of the strong and resourceful mothers who consistently go above and beyond. In the world of MMA, few things are more powerful than the love of a mother – especially the love of all the MMA mamas out there! You are true gems, playing a unique role in this sport. For this reason, recognizing the fighting spirit associated with Motherhood is an important aspect of celebrating Canadian women’s MMA.
And here at Pallas Athena Women’s Fighting Championship, we’d like to take a moment this Mother’s Day to pay homage to some of the most fierce and feisty mamas to ever step in the cage! Here are 7 MMA Badass Mothers that will inspire you.
1 & 2. Amanda and Nina Nunes
Amanda and Nina Nunes exemplify an MMA power duo, blending personal and professional success. Nina has recently hung up her gloves and holds an impressive MMA record of 11 wins and 7 losses, with a UFC record of 5-4. Her partner, Amanda, is celebrated as the greatest female MMA fighter ever. She also recently retired as the undisputed bantamweight and featherweight champion in the UFC and led the women’s pound-for-pound rankings.
Both have achieved significant success in their careers while raising their daughter, Raegan, born in September 2020 and had their second daughter, Hazel, in 2023.
3. Julianna Peña
Julianna Peña, known for her remarkable victory over Amanda Nunes at UFC 269, is not just a formidable bantamweight fighter but also a devoted mother to her daughter Isabella, born in 2018. Peña brought Isabella to the weigh-in at UFC 277, symbolizing the integration of her fighting spirit and motherly love.
4. Sara Mcmann
Sara McMann is a mixed martial artist from America who regularly competes in the bantamweight division. She is also a former wrestler who competed at the highest level, the Olympics, winning a silver medal in the Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, back in 2004 – becoming the first woman ever to receive a wrestling Olympic medal.
Sara McMann has two children, a daughter and a son. Her stellar fighting career, in addition to a checkered past riddled with drama and tragedy, has given her the strength to be a strong and dynamic mother who can guide her children through life.
5. Mackenzie Dern
A professional female mixed martial artist in addition to a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Mackenzie Dern is a tsunami of feminine savagery. She once held the title of the No. 1 IBJJF (International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation) competitor and is often cited as one of the most talented and efficient female grapplers within her division.
A BJJ black belt, Dern gave birth to her first child in 2019 and has since returned to the cages, fighting only four months after giving birth.
6. Miesha Tate
Miesha Tate hails from the United States and competes in the UFC, where she is a former Champion in the bantamweight division. Her long list of accomplishments, such as her wins in the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship and the FCF Women’s Bantam Championship, in addition to her victory in the Strikeforce Women’s Bantamweight Championship, makes her one of the most recognized fighters in women’s MMA.
Miesha gave birth to her first child, Amaia Nevaeh Nunez in 2018, and her second, Daxton Wylder Nunez in 2020, with her husband (and fellow fighter) Johnny Nunez.
7. Ronda Rousey
And how could we possibly forget the Queen? The Monarch of women’s mixed martial arts, Ronda Rousey. Considered by many to be the best female athlete of all time, Rousey boasts a myriad of accomplishments that speak for themselves. Everything from winning her first 12 professional fights in a row (11 of which were won in the first round) to becoming the very first American woman to win a medal in Judo at the Olympics in 2008 at the summer Olympics in Beijing.
Named La’akea Makalapuaokalanipo Browne, Ronda gave birth to her first child in September 2021.
A Tribute to the Mighty MMA Mothers
Motherhood is never easy. It can be even more challenging to balance raising children with training. However, as these women have demonstrated – it’s possible. And this Mother’s Day is simply a tribute to all the hardworking and influential mothers out there – whether you train MMA or not – to keep being the bedrock of your children’s (and family’s) lives.
At Pallas Athena Women’s Fighting Championship, we honour and support our MMA mothers (as well as women athletes in general) to be all that they can be. If you think you have what it takes to join our masterful team of women’s MMA fighters, sign up using our fighters registration form today.