Now there are 17 female UFC fighters, and the women's bantamweight title fight is one of the signature events of UFC 168.
Ronda Rousey is a big reason for the sudden rise of the sport.
She defends her title against Miesha Tate in UFC 168 on Saturday in Las Vegas.
With her trash-talking personality, good looks, incredible backstory, and unmatched skill in the ring, she has almost single-handedly paved the way for women in UFC.