Women pro combat-sports fighters are punching their way to the top of high-profile pay-per-view and televised fight cards as the familiarity of top female athletes in boxing and mixed martial arts, along with the quality of their fights, clicks with both distributors and fans.
Once considered a novelty, industry observers said female fighters are now garnering an unprecedented level of acceptance and respect. “Women fighters used to be a big joke, but now people look at them and say they actually can fight,” said Tony Paige, a former boxing broadcaster and sports-talk host on WFAN New York. “No one’s running to the fridge anymore because a women’s fight is on TV.”
