The Female Superstars Of Russia’s MMA Ring

There are few nations that are as proud of their MMA heritage as Russia. Throughout history, we have seen many of the top-performing stars come from the nation, with Khabib Nurmagomedov being remembered as one of the best male Russian MMA fighters. However, who are some of the best female MMA stars that have represented the nation throughout their career?

Viktoriya Dudakova

There are few more exciting female MMA stars in the world than Viktoriya Dudakova. The 23-year-old has set the world ablaze since making her professional debut in 2020, and she has accumulated a professional record of 6-0. She is regarded as the best Russian female MMA fighter in the pound-for-pound rankings, and she continued to impress when improving her record in August last year.

She was taken the distance for the first time in her career in the Contender Series, but she managed to get the unanimous decision victory over Maria Silva. Many will be excited to see what’s next for the talented strawweight competitor.

Yulia Ostroverkhova

Despite turning professional later than most, there are few more talented female Russian MMA stars than Yulia Ostroverkhova. The 33-year-old has accumulated a professional record of 8-1-1, and she is regarded as the third-best pound-for-pound female fighter in Russia. She was last in action at Shlemenko FC 5 in September of last year, as she fought to a draw against Anastasia Feofanova.

That contentious decision means that we will likely see the two square off once again at some point in 2023. Her only career defeat was suffered against the same rival in 2020, but following that loss, Ostroverkhova recorded five straight wins, which included stoppage victories against Zarina Gumerova and Galina Yakupova.

Diana Avsaragova

Diana Asaragova is largely seen as one of the most talented young female MMA stars on the planet. When she was younger, she won the bronze medal at the Russian Championships in freestyle wrestling, and she has already impressed since turning professional in MMA. To this point, she has put together a 5-0 professional record and was signed by Bellator in 2019.

Her deal was a five-fight contract, but it’s likely that she will be signed on to continue fighting for the promotion after impressing. She has won all three fights in Bellator, which included a stunning first-round KO on her debut against Tara Graff. Her latest win was secured against Kyra Batara in March 2022, and she is scheduled to return to professional competition in February, as she battles Alejandra Lara at Bellator 290.

Zaira Dyshekova

Zaira Dyshekova bills herself as the ‘Golden Girl’ and has shown glimpses of her very best throughout her MMA career. The 26-year-old currently competes in Berkus FC and is ranked as the eighth-best pound-for-pound female fighter from Russia. The Bantamweight will be looking for a strong calendar year in 2023 after suffering a fourth career defeat in her previous appearance.

That loss was suffered in the first round against Gisele Moreira in April 2022. However, she has an excellent ground game, which is evident from her two submission victories against Irina Degtyareva and Yulia Kutsenko in 2021 and 2019, respectively. But, she will likely need to show her class as soon as she returns to competition, as she has suffered three defeats in her previous five fights.

Anna Remneva

One of the most exciting young Russian fighters to watch out for in 2023 is Anna Remneva. The 25-year-old has already been making waves since turning professional, as she has won on all four appearances that she has made. The featherweight is currently regarded as the 12th-best Russian fighter in the pound-for-pound rankings, and she could be set for a huge fight at some point over the next 12 months.

Three of her four professional fights have ended within the distance, which includes a second-round submission win over Elane Macario in July 2022. The future looks incredibly bright for this prospect, and we could see her climbing up the rankings in 2023.

Conclusion

The future for Russian MMA female fighters looks incredibly bright at present, with a number of new stars breaking through across the world. Therefore, 2023 promises to be an unmissable year of action, as the stars look to make their next steps toward the UFC, and a potential world championship opportunity.

About the Author

David Todva is an experienced writer who has worked in the sports industry for many years. David’s background as a Russian native gives him a unique perspective on Eastern European sports, which he often covers for various outlets.

Roberto Villa

Roberto Villa is the CEO, Founder, Executive Writer, Senior Editor of FightBook MMA. Has a passion for Combat Sports and also a podcast host for Sitting Ringside. He’s also a former MMA fighter and Kickboxer.