Ailin Perez says she is already getting into Norma Dumont’s head and wants to finish her in their UFC Vegas 121 co-main event on Sept. 26 at Meta APEX. She is aiming for a knockout but says she does not expect an easy fight.
Perez said her animosity began after Dumont turned down several proposed UFC fights, including one in Mexico. She also alleged Dumont confronted her with friends before her November 2025 bout with Ketlen Vieira; Perez said teammates separated them and claimed Vieira, not Dumont, should have won.
Perez wants a bantamweight title opportunity against Kayla Harrison or Amanda Nunes if she beats Dumont, or to serve as backup for their Nov. 14 title bout at UFC 334 in New York. She said her boxing has recovered after shoulder surgery, though her previously injured foot is not yet at 100%. Dumont has not been finished since 2020; her next 11 fights went the distance, with nine wins and two losses.
