After a fight against Sara McMann earlier this month was cancelled due to her missing weight, Aspen Ladd has been dropped from the UFC roster.
The bantamweight, who has a long history of weight struggles, was dropped from the promotion’s rankings database on Tuesday, per automated service UFC Roster Watch. MMA Fighting later cited promotion officials who confirmed Ladd’s release from the company.
Ladd (9-3) was supposed to have faced McMann on September 17, 2022 at UFC Vegas 60, after the fight was pushed back from an August date due to Ladd contracting COVID-19. The California-born fighter then missed weight by two pounds for the bout, which did not move forward.
Ladd’s struggles making it to the cage have become infmaous. Ahead of her UFC debut in 2017, Ladd was forced to pull out of a fight with Jessica Eye on the day of the event, after falling ill. In April of 2018, she was expected to face Leslie Smith; after missing weight, Smith and the UFC could not come to terms on a catchweight, and the fight fell through.
In 2019, Ladd struggled to make weight for a bout at UFC Fight Night 155 against Germaine de Randamie, appearing weak on the scale. She would lose the bout, and have her license suspended by the California State Athletic Commission after regaining 18% of her body weight back between weigh-ins and the fight.
In October of 2021, Ladd missed weight for a fight with Macy Chiasson; the bout was cancelled over a concern with Ladd’s safety. She would take a featherweight fight against Norma Dumont later that month, losing a decision.
Ladd also missed weight once prior to joining the UFC, for a fight at Invicta FC 18 in 2016.
Virtually no major promotion outside the UFC features the bantamweight division, so Ladd may be forced to consider a move to featherweight, should she opt to move to Bellator MMA. Invicta FC, which does have a 135lb division, would also appear to be an option. Whether Ladd wishes to remain at bantamweight remains to be seen.
