FIGHTER PROFILE: ‘ALPHA’ CAT ZINGANO

One of Bellator MMA’s biggest signings coming out of the UFC is number three ranked featherweight, Cat Zingano. Zingano has made her way across many weight classes in her career fighting some of the top names in women’s MMA. Zingano will hopefully get a title shot soon as she is now 2-0 in the promotion and that division in Bellator is packed with talent and amazing fights that could be made within the division.

Zingano started her combat sports career at age 12 when she started wrestling. Zingano would find this to be a great sport for her to compete in and would compete in the sport until she finished college. Zingano would become a four time All American and national champion. Zingano. After college Zingano found her way into a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gym where she gained enough knowledge to start competing in BJJ tournaments. Zingano would go onto win multiple notable tournaments, including the World Championships (Mundials) in Los Angeles and the Rio de Janeiro State Championships in Brazil. 

Zingano Would start competing in MMA shortly after starting her BJJ training. Her first amateur fight would be against Ann Wyborny. Zingano would win by TKO (punches.) She’d go on to win three of her four amateur fights. Zingano decided to go pro and would make her pro debut in June of 2008 Karina Taylor at Ring of Fire 32. She’d win by submission(armbar.) She’d go on to fight in multiple promotions but eventually would end up fighting for Invicta FC where she’d return to Bantamweight.

Eventually Zingano Would find her way to the biggest MMA promotion in the world and would get the honor of fighting in the second Women’s MMA bout in the promotions history. She’d face Miesha Tate and would win by TKO (knees and elbow) becoming the first woman to win by technical knockout in the UFC. She’d go on to win her next fight which happened to be against the greatest woman MMA fighter in history, Amanda Nunes. She’d go on a skid after blowing out her knee when she was supposed to coach season 18 of The Ultimate Fighter. Zingano would end up losing a title bout to Ronda Rousey. 

On August 14, 2019 the UFC announced that Zingano had been cut from the promotion. Two months later it was announced that Zingano had signed to Bellator. Zingano would make her promotional debut 11 months later with a win over Gabby Holloway at UFC 245. In her next fight for the promotion he’d go on to face Olivia Parker and would win by Submission(armbar.) 

Zingano is currently ranked 3rd in the Bellator MMA featherweight rankings and 8th in the Bellator’s Pound for Pound Women’s rankings.