The UFC girls’s bantamweight division isn’t pleased with its present state of affairs within the title image.
135 kilos as a complete has collectively regrouped a bit because the longtime reigning queenpin Amanda Nunes retired in June 2023. Due to this fact, it led to the vacant title acquisition going to The Final Fighter 18 (TUF) veteran, Raquel Pennington. “Rocky” gained the title through a unanimous determination towards Mayra Bueno Silva at UFC 297 this previous January.
Earlier than Pennington makes her first title protection towards the previous champion Julianna Pena at UFC 307 in October, a number of high contender battles will unfold, beginning with Brazil’s Norma Dumont vs. Mexico’s Irene Aldana. Dumont, 33, appears to be like to increase her successful streak to 5 (11-2 total) by taking out the one-time title challenger at Noche UFC on Sept. 14 contained in the Las Vegas Sphere. Like her fellow Brazilian contender with a giant upcoming struggle, Ketlen Vieira, Dumont is also none too happy with the promotion’s title struggle determination.
“It was actually a slap within the face of the complete division,” Dumont instructed MMA Mania. “Julianna, who hasn’t actually gained any fights, hasn’t fought in so lengthy, and though she beat Amanda, it was the day Amanda simply wasn’t Amanda. She simply wasn’t there. Then within the different struggle, she obtained the complete beating that she took three nights of beatings value in a single night time. That was the actual Julianna proper there.
“Then she comes again after two and a half years of operating away from any struggle supplied to her to then be given a present and preventing for the belt. Yeah, it’s very not good. A slap within the face of the division, but in addition not the primary time that it has occurred.”
Pena’s return title shot towards Pennington shall be her first struggle since she misplaced the title in her Nunes rematch in July 2022. Nunes gained the struggle through a unanimous determination earlier than her retirement victory over Aldana.
In the end, Dumont feels the Bueno Silva title shot revealed an absence of depth at 135 kilos however with the emergence of latest contenders like herself and Kayla Harrison, there’s freshness on the high. As for the title struggle itself, Dumont predicts we hear “and nonetheless” on struggle night time. Nonetheless, that’s to not say she’s too impressed with the present titleholder.
“I feel Raquel wins this struggle, not as a result of I feel she’s a dominant champion, as a result of I don’t assume that,” Dumont stated. “I feel Julianna is simply that unhealthy. I imply, she obtained submitted by Germaine [de Randamie]. I imply, come on. So, it’s bizarre to say Raquel is gonna win one thing, however I feel she wins this one.”
A win over Aldana would put Dumont in a first-rate place to struggle for the title or no less than make her case. With Vieira vs. Harrison occurring on the identical night time as Pennington vs. Pena, Dumont is aware of that her efficiency shall be crucial to her probabilities of leapfrogging that struggle’s winner.
“I used to be already speculated to be preventing for the belt at featherweight however due to how the highest 4 [at bantamweight] is admittedly tight proper now, I feel I would must struggle yet another time earlier than the belt,” Dumont stated of a doable win over Aldana. “Everyone has their fights scheduled proper now so who is aware of? I feel it is going to rely upon how everyone performs. I don’t assume it’s inconceivable and I shall be prepared.
“I consider that is going to be my greatest efficiency but within the UFC. I feel that my expertise and the issues that I skilled eradicated some doubts and a few obstacles that I had contained in the octagon. The Norma that you just’ll see in September is the most effective model of Norma that you just’ll have ever seen earlier than.”
