Two bantamweights who recently signed UFC contracts and look to make a serious impact in their 2023 debuts

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The UFC bantamweight division hasn’t been the most active weight-class this year but things could be set for a change in 2023.

The amount of women’s bantamweight fights booked in 2022 has been far less than those at flyweight and strawweight. Only three 135-pound newcomers debuted during 2022, however things could be set to change next year.

The UFC has already signed two potential hopefuls, and both of these women are looking to make a huge statement when they make their debuts in early 2023.

WMMA Rankings highlights the two women below.

Hailey Cowan

Cowan (7-2-0) defeated Claudia Leitte via split decision on the August 16 edition of Dana White’s Contender Series earlier this year. Despite the close victory, the UFC president acknowledged that Leitte was a huge prospect in her own right, and decided to award Cowan a contract as he feels the 135-pound bantamweight division needs new blood.

Cowan already has her UFC debut booked. She’ll be making her first appearance to take on one of 2022’s newcomers in Ailin Perez at the UFC Fight Night event on February 25.

Tainara Lisboa

Two-time Muay Thai world champion Tainara Lisboa signed with the UFC this past May. The Brazilian has won all her professional MMA fights bar her debut in which she lost to Norma Dumont. She enters the UFC after scoring three consecutive stoppage victories.

A fierce striker, Lisboa cites Germaine de Randamie as one of her biggest influences. Lisboa does not have her debut announced as of yet, but fans can certainly expect an announcement sometime in early 2023.

Fight fans, do you think Cowan and Lisboa have what it takes to make an impact in the UFC? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.