Norma Dumont is “beyond excited” to finally fight again, and she vows to make a statement in her UFC Vegas 110 clash with Ketlen Vieira on Nov. 1 to show the promotion, once for all, that her next bout
should be for the bantamweight title.
The last time Dumont entered the octagon was in September 2024, when she busted Irene Aldana’s forehead open at The Sphere in Las Vegas for her fifth straight victory. Victorious twice in 2024 with that decision and one over ex-champion Germaine de Randamie, she has once again found trouble getting fights booked.
Speaking with MMA Fighting prior to her bout with Vieira, the Chute Boxe fighter said she was originally promised fights in April and July, but said the UFC couldn’t find an opponent. Dumont was scheduled for a September return only to find our Raquel Pennington would be forced out of action with an injury.
“It’s always a big soap opera,” Dumont said. “Even the UFC, even Mick [Maynard], when they have to book a fight, he already says, ‘Let’s try to find someone.’ I believe it’s because I’m a fighter who’s good on the feet, good on the ground, strong, has cardio, and a very strategic fight IQ, I end up being the last option. It’s normal that fighters try to steer away toward an easier matchup. And I’m not even saying it’s out of fear, it’s just not wanting to lose. I don’t know, maybe they hate me so much they don’t even want to risk losing to me [laughs].”
“I honestly can’t understand it, but I see that this issue has been following me for a while,” she continued. “Even the UFC itself is starting to get a bit impatient with my potential opponents. They really wanted me to fight mid-year and even considered matching me with someone outside the rankings. I was pissed. I said, ‘I don’t think I should fight someone unranked, or way down there.’ But they said, ‘Norma, we don’t want you to stay out for a year, and we can’t get anyone from the rankings. We need you to fight, you can’t stay inactive, we need you in the octagon regularly, and we’ll keep trying.’ They tried, and a week later came back saying, ‘There’s really no one.’”
Vieira, who rebounded from a loss to Kayla Harrison by beating Macy Chiasson in May, said yes to the call to face Dumont on Nov. 1.
“It’s a style that favors me a lot in terms of skillset,” Dumont said. “Ketlen is tough in her game — she throws her right hand, clinches hard, and likes to be like that wet blanket on top — but I also see a lot of openings. I don’t see a stylistic matchup that benefits her. Movement, speed, physical strength, explosiveness, recovery, skill, I think I have a lot of tools to win both standing and on the ground. It won’t be an easy fight, it never is at this level, but I believe there are plenty of paths to victory for me.”
Harrison is expected to face a returning Amanda Nunes for her next title defense in 2026 and Dumont hopes she’s next in line with a victory over Vieira. Dumont will be 9-2 in the company if victorious this weekend, and doesn’t believe that having all her previous wins coming by way of decision play a factor against her.
“Obviously, every fight we go in looking for the knockout, for the submission, but once you get to the top of the division, you realize how hard it is to get those,” Dumont said. “Beating Ketlen, there’s nowhere else to go. Who are they going to put [for the title]? Julianna [Peña] again? Raquel? No way. Julianna got demolished by Kayla, and Raquel lost to Julianna. There’s no one left to face whoever wins between Amanda and Kayla.
“But of course, if I get a big knockout or a beautiful submission on Saturday, I’ll definitely be on the cleanest radar possible. That’s what we’re aiming for, that’s what we’re going to do. But honestly, given where the division stands, even a regular win should get me to the title — but I don’t want a regular win, I want something extraordinary [laughs].”
The UFC has yet to reveal a date for Harrison vs. Nunes in 2026, and Dumont believes it’s going to be as soon as January. If all goes right, and there’s no need for an immediate rematch, Dumont campaigns for her chance without the need of another victory.
If that’s not the case, though, Dumont is more than willing to stay active against a top-ranked opposition.
“To be honest, I don’t even know if Raquel comes back,” Dumont said. “It seems like she’ll have to undergo another surgery, and I’m not sure she [fights again]. Julianna, I don’t even consider her, she’s not fighting me. Maybe I’d end up facing Yana [Santos], and I’d accept it because it’s my job. I’m not sitting out another year. I’m 35, I can’t stay inactive that long. And in my mind, none of them beat me anyway, so it doesn’t make a difference. I’ll fight everyone. That’s how I’ll become champion. If I have to fight again, I’ll be ready.”
