Arguably the top two contenders in the women’s bantamweight division at the moment, there is a very real possibility that the next time the winner of this one steps into the Octagon, UFC gold will hang in the balance.
Nearly two years after beating Holly Holm at UFC 208, de Randamie returned last November, marching intp Raquel Pennington’s backyard in Denver, Colorado, where she scored a unanimous decision win over the recent title challenger. The victory pushed her winning streak to four and elevated her record to 5-1 in the UFC, with her only loss coming against Amanda Nunes.
The 24-year-old Ladd has validated all the hype and then some since arriving in the UFC, registering three wins to move to 8-0 while showing all the elements that make her one of the top young talents in the sport. Whether it’s the ability to make adjustments mid-fight she made in her debut win, the ferocious ground-and-pound she exhibited in mauling Tonya Evinger or the grit and tenacity displayed in her Fight of the Year contender against Sijara Eubanks, Ladd is the complete package.
