Ailin Perez Targets Stoppage Win Over Norma Dumont at UFC Vegas 121

Ailin Perez and Norma Dumont will meet inside the Octagon this Saturday in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 121 at the Meta APEX. Speaking to MMA Fighting ahead of the clash, the Argentine fighter stated that she believes she has already gained the upper hand in mental warfare through years of verbal exchanges and expressed her desire to put Dumont to sleep.

The tension between the two bantamweights dates back several years. Both athletes competed on the same card in July 2023, where Perez defeated Ashlee Evans-Smith and Dumont bested Chelsea Chandler. According to Perez, Dumont attempted to confront her at that event. Perez also recounted a later altercation at the UFC Performance Institute following Dumont's victory against Ketlen Vieira—a decision Perez disputed—where mutual acquaintances had to intervene to keep the fighters apart.

Perez claimed her frustration with Dumont stemmed from the Brazilian repeatedly turning down fight offers, including an opportunity in Mexico when Perez was matched against Macy Chiasson. Perez also emphasized her efforts to build interest around the bout, stating that she works to make backstage interactions public for the fans while criticizing Dumont for keeping things behind closed doors.