Make-Ups and Knock Outs: UFC Vegas 40 Women’s Preview

Written By Katie Lever on October 16, 2021

What better way to kick off the weekend than with redemption bouts and wild odds? That’s what Saturday night’s pair of highly-anticipated, high-stakes women’s UFC fights has to offer. Ladd vs. Dumont and Bueno Silva vs Fiorot are highlights on the main card and are must-watch matchups, both in the octagon and in the sportsbooks. Main card fights begin at 6:00 ET and can be streamed on ESPN+.

Headlining bout action: Ladd vs. Dumont

UFC Vegas 40 kicks off on the women’s side with a bit of a thrown-together bout featuring Norma Dumont and Aspen Ladd. Ladd’s recent withdrawal against Macy Chiasson coupled with Holly Holm’s recent injury set the stage for a perfect last-minute storm in the featherweight division, but this isn’t your typical deadline-busting project.

The 26-year-old Ladd is looking for redemption after sustaining a stubborn knee injury in the bantamweight division that has sidelined her since 2019. She was sidelined after missing weight a couple of weeks ago, so if she wants to get her career turning in a positive direction in a fresh weight class, this is a golden opportunity.

Dumont has similar experience on her side—the 31-year-old Brazilian originally competed in the bantamweight division before weigh-in issues forced her into the featherweight class. After defeating former title contender, Felicia Spencer, Dumont could be in the running for a title herself if she can muscle past Ladd on her way to the top.

FanDuel Sportsbook’s moneyline for this fight favors Ladd at -134 to Dumont at +114, and bettors who really lean toward the favorite can take their bets a step further by placing money on Ladd to win by submission at +850.

As far as method of victory goes, bettors who want to invest in the underdog can bet on Dumont to win by points at +350, KO/TKO at +550, or submission at +750. Those looking for wilder odds need to look no further than method & round combo bets, with odds ranging from +1000 to +3000.

Main card features second women’s fight

Mayra Bueno Silva and Manon Fiorot round out the women’s fights on Saturday and their fight features healthy doses of aggression, inexperience, and respect. In spite of only having two UFC appearances under her belt, Fiorot is already considered a title contender.

Bueno Silva believes that she lives up to the hype. After all, heavy-fisted Fiorot has earned both of her victories via knockout, and given her lack of UFC exposure, she’s a bit of an unknown (but clearly commendable) force.

Bueno Silva, however, is unlikely to go down quietly. Not only is her overall record nearly identical to Fiorot’s at 7-1, but Silva has been competing in the UFC since 2018, so she has experience on her side.

Not only that, but Bueno Silva has won several fights by submission, so she’s proven her capability to wear competitors down, while fast-striking Fiorot hasn’t. Whether or not Fiorot has the endurance to hold off Bueno Silva remains to be seen.

Unlike Fiorot, Bueno Silva has also proven she can bounce back from a loss. After losing to Maryna Moroz by unanimous decision, Bueno Silva came right back to defeat Mara Romero Borella via decision.

Both Fiorot and Bueno Silva are highly aggressive strikers with a lot of hype behind them, so this fight should be truly explosive. The sportsbooks are on fire as well. FanDuel lists Bueno Silva as the favorite at -245, with Fiorot’s odds of winning swinging almost completely in the opposite direction at +200.

Method of victory bets are all over the place, with odds ranging from Fiorot winning by KO/TKO listed at +160, all the way up to Fiorot winning by submission at +2600. DraftKings also offers a healthy spread of parlay options, starting with a go the distance bet at -120, ranging up to +6500 for Fiorot to win by submission in round 3.

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Katie Lever

Katie Lever is a former Division 1 athlete and current doctoral candidate at the University of Texas at Austin where she studies NCAA discourse and the intersections of sport and society. She is also a freelance sportswriter, consultant, and creative writer on the side. Katie is a member of The Drake Group, an athletic advocacy organization dedicated to academic integrity in collegiate athletics and serves as a member of their Board of Governors as well as their Chief Communications Officer. In her (limited) spare time, she enjoys lifting weights, walking dogs, and exploring the city of Austin.

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