No women’s UFC title fight has ended by strikes since Valentina Shevchenko stopped Lauren Murphy in September 2021. This brief summarizes the four most recent title-fight KO/TKO finishes and the context around the drought.
The most recent women’s UFC title-fight stoppage by strikes occurred Sept. 25, 2021, when Valentina Shevchenko TKO’d Lauren Murphy at UFC 266.
Before the drought, high-profile knockouts defined the division’s early era — examples include Holly Holm’s head kick on Ronda Rousey and Amanda Nunes’ wins over Rousey and Cris Cyborg.
The last four women’s title-fight KO/TKO finishes span multiple weight classes and include Rose Namajunas’ 78-second KO of Zhang Weili at UFC 261.
Current state: a five-year streak without a women's title-fight KO or TKO
It has been five years since a women's UFC title fight ended by strikes. The last stoppage was Valentina Shevchenko's fourth-round TKO of Lauren Murphy at UFC 266 on September 25, 2021. Since then, all women's title fights have finished by decision, submission, or draws, leaving a notable absence of knockout finishes in the highest-stakes women's fights.
Women's MMA has a knockout history that produced memorable, defining moments — Holly Holm's head kick that felled Ronda Rousey and Amanda Nunes' quick finishes over Rousey and Cris Cyborg. Those knockouts helped shape public perception of the divisions and delivered dramatic title changes. The current five-year run without a title-fight KO/TKO stands out against that history and raises questions about stylistic trends, matchmaking, and champions' durability.
The last four women's title-fight KO/TKO finishes
Valentina Shevchenko TKO Lauren Murphy — UFC 266 (Sept. 25, 2021) Shevchenko dominated a significant underdog in Murphy, out-striking her heavily, scoring multiple takedowns, and inflicting visible damage to Murphy's left eye. In round four a right hook and head kick set up a flurry that forced referee Keith Peterson to intervene at 4:00, ending the fight by TKO.
Rose Namajunas KO Zhang Weili — UFC 261 (Apr. 24, 2021) Namajunas landed a lead left high kick 78 seconds into the fight that dropped Zhang. Follow-up hammerfists prompted the stoppage. This sudden, early knockout came in front of the UFC's first full-capacity crowd after pandemic restrictions.
The article references a pattern in the years before the drought: women's title knockouts were frequent enough to be part of the division's identity. Amanda Nunes produced multiple high-profile stoppages that remain widely remembered. After the 2021 stoppages, subsequent title fights went the distance or ended by submission, including Alexa Grasso's submission of Shevchenko at UFC 285 and Kayla Harrison's kimura over Julianna Peña at UFC 316.
The five-year absence of a women's title-fight KO/TKO is a factual streak rooted in recent fight outcomes. The piece compiles the last four instances when title fights did end by strikes, and it places upcoming high-profile bouts into that narrative as opportunities to change the trend. For fans tracking how styles and champions affect finishes at title level, this drought is a straightforward statistic to watch as new title fights take place.
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