By and large, the landscape of the weight class looks radically similar since Ladd last competed. Although Chiasson isn’t as highly ranked, it’s a tough stylistic matchup and one in which Ladd can flex her own quality and set up a bigger fight afterward. In Ladd’s mind, though, there is no “next” as far as she is concerned.
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“Every fight that I have is end of the world,” Ladd said. “I don’t really look beyond it. I’m sure there’s people in general that I’d like to fight, but it’s not something I’m going to think about until after this one.”
When asked about what she’ll feel when she finally makes the walk to the Octagon after about 22 months away, there’s some trepidation. Not about fighting, but just about not letting herself get too excited before the moment actually comes. Fair enough, all things considered.
When she does reach the walkout point in the UFC Apex, that’s when she’ll feel the jitters that she knows so well. Her face might not show it, but she understands the moment at hand. It’s been a long wait, but on October 2, Ladd is back to doing what she loves, and that’s all that matters.
“That’s the most nerve-wracking point in my life,” Ladd said. “That’s the only time that I ever feel nerves. Not even the hand-wrapping or any of that. It’s the walkout until the ref says, ‘Go.’
“It’s going to be an anxious moment. After that, it’s all good.”
