Aspen Ladd vs. Norma Dumont

Round 1
The fight everyone has been waiting for has now arrived, in the form of a featherweight main event between former bantamweight Ladd (9-1, 4-1 UFC) and “The Immortal” Dumont (6-1, 2-1 UFC). Immortal…Ladd will put her name to the test. Nothing more needs to be said about this fight, which is scheduled for five rounds under the auspices of nonsense slayer-slash-referee Keith Peterson. Both glad to be competing on the show, they happily touch gloves before getting after it. A jab from Dumont starts things off, and she sticks it in Ladd’s face a few times until a left hand comes at her. The Brazilian continues to singularly utilize the jab, making the basis of the only functional offense in the first minute. Many of the jabs are not landing, but they are enough to make Ladd think twice. She follows a single jab with an overhand right, although that gets blocked just in time. Two minutes down, little more than jabs so far, as Aspen tries to lance her with one jab back. Ladd counters a jab with a left hand, but Dumont does not slow down her jabbing and instead chains it into strikes each time. A jab into a right hand, or a jab doubled up, come from the Brazilian, as Ladd has done practically nothing on her end for the good part of three minutes. Dumont splits the guard with a sharp jab, and Ladd’s face is starting to turn red from the strikes that are landing, so Dumont does not change her gameplan one iota. Ladd is a ways away from her target when she tries to get a little offense going, and Dumont is there to jab her as four minutes have ticked off the clock with less than one hand’s worth of significant strikes landing from the American. Dumont, on the other hand, connects every so often with a right hand, but with nothing coming back at her, Dumont does not have to anything more immediate. They both land quick hooks at the same time, but they are one-and-done as Dumont returns to a jab. The agonizingly slow first period ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dumont
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Dumont
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Dumont

Round 2
There is an offered but missed glove touch to start off the second round, and Dumont has decided to do what won her the first round with jabs. Ladd tries to get things going on her end by tripling up on jabs, but Dumont is not concerned as she slowly pokes with jabs. When Dumont split the guard with a jab, Ladd throws a trio of punches but only one partially connects. The Brazilian’s jab is practically the only weapon being utilized seven minutes into the main event, and Ladd finally sits down on a left hand before charging ahead for a takedown entry. Ladd manages to clinch up and squeeze Dumont on the wall like a cheese grater, but when she tries to change levels, Dumont stops her from doing this and breaks. Dumont gets back to her rhythm of a jab every 10-to-15 seconds or so, and Ladd swings and misses with an overhand right counter. Ladd tries to kick her opponent in the body, but Dumont is at least a foot away when the leg is outstretched. When Ladd misses on a head kick, Dumont connects with a one-two to mix things up a little. Ladd advances, blocks a left hand, but walks into a jab as her face is slowly turning red. This same methodical pace concludes the round nearly as hesitant as the previous round. If fans are lucky, a fight may yet break out in the next 15 minutes.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dumont
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Dumont
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Dumont

Round 3
The gloves are touched to begin Round 3, and Dumont is comfortable jabbing from afar. Ladd lands a single inside calf kick, and they come together with a quick combination as they both throw more than one punch at a time. Ladd swipes with a left hand that misses, and Dumont dances out of harm’s way every time a heavier blow is swung. Ladd shoots in low for a takedown, and she gets stuffed with ease as Dumont sprawls and backs away. “The Immortal” tattoos her jab on Ladd’s face, and gets off a one-two that is partially blocked. Ladd throws a left hand, gets tagged with a counter, and shoots in low for a single. Dumont uses the wall at her ally to remain upright, and Ladd grinds her on the fence but does little else with the position. Dumont gets underhooks and spins her around so that she can break free, and Ladd scores a single knee before Dumont gets away. Dumont ducks a punch to get off a crisp overhand right over the top, and she slaps away a one-two that soars at her face. They both jab at one another, and Dumont scores another right hand as Ladd advances. Dumont goes back to her bread and butter of the jab, and she stuffs a Ladd takedown without concern before pressing Ladd into the wall and kneeing her in the belly. Dumont backs off so she can get off jabs, and a push kick backs Ladd off of her. The Brazilian lands a stomp kick to the knee, and Ladd tries to triple up on jabs but misses each time. Dumont punches her way into a clinch, and the round ends in this position.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dumont
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Dumont
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Dumont

Round 4
Between rounds, Ladd’s corner gives her a serious tongue-lashing, informing her that she is down on the scorecards already needs a finish. When the round begins, Ladd is the first with jabs, and she is more amped up than before as she throws punches in bunches. Dumont catches her with a right hand on the way in, but Ladd guns for a single to try to hit her first takedown of the night. Like a wall, Dumont does not budge, and instead is content to get held on the wall. Dumont breaks free without absorbing any blows of note, and she takes the center of the Octagon and switches her stances to flick out a jab and a front kick. A clean jab breaks Ladd’s movement up, and Dumont flips on cruise control and dings Ladd with a one-two while circling away to avoid any responsive strikes. Ladd punches straight in front of her but she is well off the mark with her strikes, although a head kick collides with her foe’s guard. Dumont tries to keep her space with another front kick, and Ladd pursues a takedown. The Brazilian, timing it perfectly, hits a trip of her own to plant Ladd on her back. Dumont advances position, climbs from half guard to guard as she moves side to side. Ladd tries to tie her down to hope for a standup, but 19 minutes into the fight, Ladd desperately needs to get back upright. The American hits a quick sweep, and she immediately takes top position and starts smashing Dumont in the face with heavy punches and elbows. Dumont pushes her off with her knee, and she protects her face from any additional blows before the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dumont
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Dumont
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Dumont

Round 5
Ladd’s coach excoriates his fighter for her performance, and this may have finally lit a fire under her backside. Ladd comes out swinging, scoring a right hand, getting countered and clinching up. Ladd cannot secure any trip or takedown she attempts, as Dumont pushes her from one side of the cage to the other. Ladd turns her back around into the wall, and she goes after a single and tries to lift Dumont in the air. “The Immortal” stops this in its tracks, turns Ladd around and mashes her in to the wire. Ladd spins her back around like a 145-pound carousel, with little offense and much pummeling. Ladd suddenly whips with a quick elbow, and she aims to follow it with a takedown effort but the latter falls short. Dumont is not remotely concerned, calm as a cucumber in the clinch, as Ladd cannot ground her and most of the solid strikes are deflected. The American, when bending over for a takedown, gets kneed in the chest and stood back up. A few strikes from Ladd have busted the nose of Dumont, who is slowly dripping blood on Ladd’s back. With 90 seconds to spare, Ladd is clinging to her opponent like Saran wrap, but any further position changes are nowhere to be found. Ladd wiggles to try to elevate Dumont, but like a statue, Dumont is not moving. Dumont may be leaking, and Ladd may be controlling the position, but time is her greatest enemy at this point. They trade knees up the middle, and Dumont drills her foe in the midsection with knees repeatedly until this dreadful featherweight slog is over. With that, UFC Fight Night 195 comes to an inglorious end, and fans will have one week to recover before the next Fight Night show on Saturday. Bellator 268 is also showing its main card tonight starting at 10 p.m. on the east coast, and Sherdog is running a live play-by-play of that event
that can be found here
. Whether for that Bellator show or the Fight Night 196 offering next week that actually features a ranked fighter in the division in which they compete, we will be here for it, and we hope you are too.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dumont (50-45 Dumont)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Dumont (50-45 Dumont)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Dumont (50-45 Dumont)

The Official Result
Norma Dumont def. Aspen Ladd via Unanimous Decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47)