A bantamweight bout between young prospect Aspen Ladd and Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann is being targeted for June 27 at a location yet to be determined.
Got the call 😈I’m in 👈@Mickmaynard2 @danawhite #MMAGOLD
— Aspen Ladd (@AspenLaddMMA) May 18, 2020
First teased by Aspen Ladd on Twitter and later reported by MMA Junkie, the 25 year old is expected to make her return on June 27 at a location yet to be determined. After only three fights in the UFC, Ladd had a breakout year in 2019 in which she booked a title eliminator against Germaine de Randamie. While she came up short in that bout, Ladd went on to close out the year by bouncing back with a victory over former featherweight title challenger Yana Kunitskaya in December.
Former title challenger Sara McMann is coming off a victory over Lina Lansberg in January, snapping a two-fight skid. A veteran of the UFC since 2013, McMann is best known for her fight against former champion Ronda Rousey back in 2014. A former Olympic silver medalist in wrestling, McMann has fought champions and top contenders in Amanda Nunes, Miesha Tate, and Ketlen Vieira during her UFC run.
The fight comes at a critical time for Ladd as the women’s bantamweight division is currently wide open with no clear top contender to challenge reigning champion Amanda Nunes. Currently ranked third in the UFC’s rankings, Ladd stands as the most logical next contender by process of elimination as Nunes has run roughshod over the rest of the competition at 135 pounds.
While no location has been given for the event, it is assumed that the UFC is looking to hold the show at the UFC Apex next month as stay at home orders are lifted throughout the country and more locations are allowed to reopen.
