Preview: UFC Fight Night 222 Prelims

Women’s Featherweights

#13 WBW | Norma Dumont (8-2, 4-2 UFC) vs. #9 WBW | Karol Rosa (16-4, 5-1 UFC)

ODDS: Dumont (-115), Rosa (-105)

Rosa’s move up to 145 pounds was not on anyone’s radar, at least as much as anything involving what counts as the UFC's women’s featherweight division is on anyone’s radar, but it might be a worthy gambit. Rosa has been a pleasant surprise since getting picked up by the UFC in 2019. Her pre-UFC footage was not particularly impressive and she is not a high-level athlete, but the Brazilian’s ability to set a pace with both striking and wrestling has been enough to run through most of her fights in the UFC thus far, outside of getting outwrestled by Sara McMann. Things remain relatively wide-open at bantamweight, but it is still understandable why Rosa would try to ply her trade at 145 pounds, at least for one fight. The division does not really exist, so it may only take one win against a countrywoman in Dumont to make her the top challenger in the weight class. Thanks to her struggles making weight at 135 pounds, Dumont has chugged along as one of the few consistent entrants at 145 pounds on the distaff side of the UFC roster. Initially an overly aggressive fighter prone to getting knocked out, Dumont has settled in behind a more patient and well-rounded game and become unspectacular to the point that most her fights have been referendums on her opponents. Macy Chiasson proved aggressive and athletic enough to take a close decision win over Dumont, but Felicia Spencer and Aspen Ladd each got stifled into inactivity and Danyelle Wolf was simply too raw to get much done. Rosa looks to be the most functional fighter Dumont has taken on to date inside the UFC. As such, this is mostly a referendum on how much success Rosa can find moving up in weight. She was thickly built and had a small frame for a bantamweight, and she will clearly be outsized here. Dumont seems solid enough that she can stifle Rosa’s wrestling and make this a close fight, which is enough to give the full-time 145-pounder the nod, even if this is a matchup more notable for its questions than any sort of answers. The pick is Dumont via decision.

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