Former bantamweight champion Holly Holm is returning to action and will face featherweight Norma Dumont in October.
On Wednesday, MMA Fighting was the first to confirm that “The Preacher’s Daughter” will make her return to the 145-pound weight class. In addition, the report indicates that verbal agreements are in place, so the fight is all but signed and sealed. The event is scheduled to take place on Oct. 16 and the location and headlining bout have yet to be announced.
In an effort to keep the women’s featherweight division alive, it looks like the promotion is trying to enter some new blood into competition for double champion Amanda Nunes. This will mark the first fight for Holm since May of 2020 where she dominated Irene Aldana en route to a unanimous decision win.
On the other hand, Dumont is coming off the biggest win of her career. While most pegged Felicia Spencer to beat Dumont a few months ago, the 30-year old featherweight showed out and got the job done. Even though the fight was closely contested, the result had Dumont taking the victory in a razor-close split-decision victory.
With a record of 6-1, Dumont certainly doesn’t share the same experience as Holm but has carved a spot for herself in the featherweight division, especially after getting through Spencer. While Dumont has struggled with weight cutting issues in the past, it seems she has nipped that problem in the bud for now.
The frenetic and active pace Holm likes to keep could give Dumont problems, but the featherweight is accustomed to making live adaptations on the fly during a fight. In particular, Dumont showed her ability to push through adversity when her cardiovascular system is in question.
Holm, meanwhile, has enjoyed a storied career. After capturing the bantamweight title from the great Rhonda Rousey, the expectations for “The Preacher’s Daughter” began to accelerate so high that it was difficult for Holm to keep up with. Now, with a renewed desire to fight for gold, if she can get past Dumont, it will be the first pivotal step back to gunning for the title in either weight class, as both are dominated by Nunes at the moment.
Will Holly Holm be able to find success at featherweight?
