Ashlee Evans-Smith

Ashlee Evans-Smith, born on July 9, 1987, in Ukiah, California, built a strong foundation in combat sports through her early career in wrestling. She achieved significant success as a three-time State Girls Wrestling Champion across California, Washington, and Oregon, and was a four-time All-American in collegiate wrestling at Menlo College. Her transition into mixed martial arts began in an unconventional manner after meeting former UFC fighter Eugene Jackson. These formative experiences in wrestling directly influenced her grappling-heavy fighting style, which she later refined in MMA.

Evans-Smith commenced her professional MMA career in March 2013, quickly establishing herself with a notable victory over Tori Adams. Her early career also included winning the 140-pound Tuff-N-Uff Championship as an amateur. A major turning point in her professional career was winning the CFA Women’s Featherweight Championship in October 2013 by defeating Fallon Fox via TKO. This victory garnered significant attention and solidified her place in the emerging women’s MMA scene. Following this, she signed with the World Series of Fighting (WSOF), securing another TKO win against Marciea Allen in June 2014, leading to her call-up to the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Her UFC debut in December 2014 at UFC 181, though a loss to Raquel Pennington, marked her entry into the sport’s highest-profile promotion. Throughout her UFC tenure, Evans-Smith has faced a range of opponents across the bantamweight and flyweight divisions. Key victories include a split decision win over Marion Reneau in February 2016 and a TKO against Veronica Macedo in September 2016. She also secured a unanimous decision victory over Bec Rawlings at UFC 223 in April 2018. Despite facing challenges, including a 14-month suspension by USADA, Evans-Smith continued to compete at a high level until her departure from the UFC roster in 2023, accumulating a professional record of 6 wins and 6 losses. Her commitment to the sport is also reflected in her blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and her role as a podcaster, hosting “Sex & Violence with Rebel Girl.”