Ailin Perez somehow pulled off a unanimous decision win against Norma Dumont at UFC Fight Night 289, even though their highly anticipated “Condoms-and-Cash Clash” was about as exciting as watching paint dry. Seriously, for all the talk and buildup, the fight itself was mostly limp, yet Perez still grabbed the win with three 29-28 scores. Dumont looked stunned, and honestly, who could blame her?
Weigh-in Drama Didn’t Translate to Cage Fire
Leading up to this fight, the tension was through the roof. At Friday’s weigh-ins, Dumont literally reached into her shorts and pulled out condoms, throwing them at Perez. Then she threw money at her, making a pretty clear insinuation about Perez’s activities outside the UFC, including her OnlyFans account. Everyone was geared up for an absolute barn burner, a real grudge match. But what we got? A fight with barely any strikes that actually landed. It was a whole lot of careful maneuvering, which, sure, you get when the winner is expected to be next in line for the women’s flyweight title. A new champ gets crowned in a week, so the stakes were massive. But did either fighter fight like it? Not really. Perez did hit maybe her best punch right after the bell, though. Go figure.
Rounds of Little Action, Then a Post-Fight Twerk
The actual fight was tough to watch. In the first round, Dumont pushed Perez backward, taking the center. Perez tried for takedowns twice, but bailed out. Dumont looked ready to fire kicks, but Perez landed a punch. For the first half, striking came in just a few short bursts. Later, Dumont threw a straight kick, and Perez smartly used it to drive in for a takedown, wrestling her to the fence for the final 40 seconds. The judges gave that one to Perez. Round two? More of the same. Perez shot for a takedown right away, but Dumont defended and actually ended up on top briefly before they were back on their feet. Perez threw some front kicks high, but again, short bursts of momentum. Neither fighter really asserted themselves enough to make a compelling case for that title shot, even if it was technically on the line. They clinched for half of the final round, making it tough for the judges, who ultimately agreed Perez won rounds one and three. And after those scores were read? Perez promptly twerked right in Dumont’s face, nearly touching off a scuffle in the cage. Unbelievable.
So, Perez takes the unanimous decision, 29-28 across the board. The fight itself was a letdown, a total dud for anyone hoping for fireworks. But the win means Ailin Perez is now expected to be next in line for the women’s flyweight title shot. Hopefully, the title fight itself will bring more actual action than this co-main event did. We will be watching to see what happens next with that flyweight belt in a week.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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