Ailin Perez quickly called out Norma Dumont for a five-round fight at UFC Rio on October 11, 2025, after Raquel Pennington withdrew from Noche UFC 3 on September 13, 2025, due to a neck injury. Pennington announced her exit on Instagram on August 7, 2025, marking her first fight cancellation in 12 years. Perez, ranked No. 7, accused Dumont of dodging her, but Dumont, who was seeking a higher-ranked opponent like No. 1 contender Julianna Peña for a title shot, blocked Perez on social media without a public response, leaving the challenge unanswered
Pennington’s Tough Decision
Pennington shared her disappointment on Instagram.
“This one’s hard to say… I’ve been with the UFC for 12 years, 26 fights, and I’ve never had to pull out of a fight,” she wrote. “I’ve been dealing with a neck injury for a while now. My last fight camp, I had a procedure in September just to get through it and step in that Octagon the beginning of October. This camp… it’s just been one thing after another”.
She prioritized her health.
“I’m a competitor through and through, but I also have to take care of my health if I want to keep doing this the right way,” she continued. “So yeah… I’m gutted to say I have to withdraw from this fight. Apologies to the fans, @ufc
and my opponent @norma_dumont_mma I’ll be back, and I still would love to share that Octagon with Norma when the time’s right”.
Pennington remained hopeful.
“I’m hoping she gets a replacement opponent and her opportunity to compete isn’t stripped. Thank you to everyone who rides with me through the highs and the lows. It means more than you know. Setbacks don’t break me — they build me”
Perez’s Bold Move
Perez saw an opening and targeted Dumont for UFC Rio. In an Instagram video, she said:
“Raquel Pennington is injured and out of the Norma fight. Now Norma won’t face me at UFC Rio. What’s the deal, Norma? You don’t want to go five rounds with me in Brazil? Scared of a booty battle?”.
Dumont’s decision to block Perez on social media prompted a sharp follow-up.
“Norma Dumont blocked me and has not made a response yet No one who wants to fight you has a better ranking than me, what is your excuse now?” Perez wrote. “We have the same record and same win streak. You are SCARED”.
Both fighters share 12-2 MMA records and five-fight win streaks, with Perez at No. 7 and Dumont at No. 5 in the bantamweight division
Dumont, 30, has not publicly addressed Perez’s challenge as of August 8, 2025, choosing instead to block her on Instagram. Dumont’s focus has been on securing a fight against a higher-ranked opponent like Peña to position herself for a title shot against champion Kayla Harrison.
Pennington, 36, won the bantamweight title against Mayra Bueno Silva at UFC 297 on January 20, 2024, but lost it to Julianna Peña via split decision at UFC 307 on October 5, 2024. Pennington landed a significant right hand in the fourth round and appeared to dominate the fifth, but two judges scored the fight 48-47 for Peña, a decision 25 of 26 media outlets disputed, favoring Pennington. She voiced her frustration: “I do not feel I lost that fight”. Her neck injury, treated with a procedure in September 2024, worsened during training for Noche UFC 3.
Perez and Dumont’s feud began at UFC Vegas 77 in July 2023, when Dumont called out Perez after defeating Chelsea Chandler, only for Perez to question Dumont’s ability to make 135 pounds. Perez pushed for the fight after her UFC Vegas 82 win over Lucie Pudilova in November 2023, calling it a “battle of asses”. Her unanimous decision over Karol Rosa at UFC 311 in January 2025 earned her the No. 7 ranking.
In April 2025, Perez dismissed a callout from Nora Cornolle, focusing on top contenders like Dumont. Dumont’s 2024 wins over Irene Aldana and Germaine de Randamie position her near a title shot. The “booty battle” nickname stems from Perez’s post-fight twerking and Dumont’s physique, dubbed “Dump Truck” by UFC commentator Laura Sanko.
