Valerie Letourneau

Valérie Létourneau is a Canadian mixed martial artist who spent over a decade competing in regional MMA before reaching the UFC in 2014. Based out of American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida, she made her octagon debut at UFC 174 and quickly compiled wins over Jessica Rakoczy, Maryna Moroz, and others, establishing herself as a viable contender in the women's strawweight division. In November 2015, she earned her shot at the pinnacle of the sport: a title bout against undefeated champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 193. Though Jedrzejczyk dominated the fight across all five rounds, winning by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 50-45), Létourneau's appearance in that co-main event cemented her legacy as a fighter who competed at the sport's highest level.

Létourneau fought as a striker who generated most of her offense at range, landing significant strikes from standing while maintaining solid defensive awareness against takedowns. Her UFC record of wins by KO/TKO and decisions showed her ability to finish opponents and grind out competitive rounds. However, she faced challenges in her final UFC appearances, including a controversial split-decision loss to Viviane Pereira at UFC 206 in December 2016 that led to her release from the promotion.

After her departure from the UFC, Létourneau signed with Bellator MMA in April 2017, where she competed in the flyweight division at a higher weight class than the UFC's 115-pound strawweight limit. She won her first two Bellator bouts before challenging for the women's flyweight championship against Ilima-Lei Macfarlane at Bellator 213, where she was defeated by submission in the third round. Now in her 40s, Létourneau remains retired from active competition, leaving behind a solid record as a journeyman who competed across multiple promotions and reached the UFC title picture during the early era of women's strawweight.