Dumont upsets Ladd in lackluster UFC main event

Women's featherweight contender Norma Dumont came through as the underdog in her biggest fight to date.

Dumont defeated Aspen Ladd via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47) in the UFC Fight Night main event Saturday in Las Vegas.

Ladd, who usually competes as a bantamweight, debuted in the 145-pound division for Saturday's contest. A scheduled fight against Macy Chiasson two weeks ago was canceled after Ladd missed weight. She ultimately agreed to face Dumont on short notice at a heavier weight after Holly Holm fell off the card with an injury.

The main event was an uneventful affair, with Dumont staying busier in the striking department for most of the fight. She connected with her jab and Ladd struggled to pull the trigger. Ladd's coach, Jim West, scolded his fighter multiple times between rounds for her limited output.

Ladd opened up more in the fourth and fifth rounds, landing some ground-and-pound at the end of the fourth while showing more aggression throughout the final frame. But by that point, Dumont was already too far ahead on the scorecards for Ladd to win without a finish.

Dumont extended her winning streak to three and could be next in line for a featherweight title shot against two-division champion Amanda Nunes, who's currently scheduled to defend her bantamweight belt in December. Dumont, 31, is undefeated since losing to Megan Anderson in her UFC debut in February 2020.

Ladd returned to the Octagon for the first time since December 2019. She was out of action largely because of a serious knee injury, but also due to opponent withdrawals. The 26-year-old is ranked No. 3 in the bantamweight division and remains a promising contender in that weight class, where she holds a 4-1 UFC record.