Photo by Nick Laham/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC
Featherweight Norma Dumont looks forward to make a splash in her UFC debut in Norfolk against Megan Anderson.
Few people come into their Octagon debut with such confidence like female featherweight newcomer Norma Dumont.
Paired up against former Invicta FC champion Megan Anderson, the Brazilian expects to send a message to the entire division after they meet at UFC Norfolk’s main card. This is why she specifically asked the UFC to give her the Australian right off the bat.
In an interview with Bloody Elbow, Dumont explained that Anderson is the most viable opponent at the moment for her to gain some notoriety and get to the division’s upper echelon. She also points out that Megan’s biggest asset to overcome will be just her height and reach advantage.
“I asked to fight Megan. I wanted to have my debut against her. I’ve been following her career for a long time now. I think my style matches up very well with hers in my favor. She’s a known athlete, one of the most famous in the division, but I don’t feel so much pressure to have my debut against her. I know that it’s fight that can take me to the next level and get me a lot of visibility, more than any other fight at the moment.
“She’s challenging because she’s so tall, but I don’t think she excels anywhere, on the ground or on the feet,” she explained. “I think she has a reach advantage, but I don’t think she’s really good anywhere. I think she’s only good, period. But I think I’m better than her in both departments.”
With only four professional MMA wins under her belt and facing a former Invicta champion in her debut, Dumont could be eerily close to title fight against champion Amanda Nunes with one or two wins in the barren female featherweight division.
Although Norma feels like she will be the one to take Amanda’s title, she would like to win a few more fights before facing the ‘Lioness’.
“Ever since I joined the UFC, I knew it was a hard division because of the lack of athletes. The ones who are there are no joke, though, they are experienced. But I know there’s a possibility, especially if I win by knockout or submission, that people might ask for me to fight Amanda Nunes now, but I really don’t think it’s the right time. I do think I’ll be the one to take Amanda’s belt, but I’d still need three more fights in the UFC, for contractual reasons, I only have four fights in my contract, so I’d need to renew it.
“Also, it would be good so I could earn the fans’ and the UFC’s trust, so I wouldn’t be just another one facing Amanda, but an undefeated Norma in almost 10 fights.” Viana said. “I think that carries a lot more weight coming into a title fight, as opposed to jumping the gun and taking that in my second UFC fight.”
At 29 years of age, ‘Imortal’ only made her MMA debut roughly three years ago, in September 2016, but does not consider her late start a disadvantage. In fact, she tends to see it as an edge over her opponents, because she was able to reach a more mature mindset while preparing to begin her career.
“Starting too young in MMA can be a big problem. It takes a while for you to reach your maturity as a fighter. I’ve always been an athlete, I used to play soccer, I started at jiu-jitsu when I was 15, took a break, then began again at 19. I had my debut in 2016, but I’ve been training MMA since 2011. I had a chance to debut in 2013, in Texas, but the fight fell through two weeks before the event.
“My debut went well, though, it was at the biggest event in Latin America, Jungle Fight,” she continued. “I had no amateur fights. All my fights were against women with better records than mine. I felt no pressure because I already had experience from my previous boxing, sanda, muay thai and jiu-jitsu fights. So that makes you more confident and at ease.”
Norma Dumont (4-0) scored two submission wins and two unanimous decision victories before signing up with the UFC. Now, the 29-year-old is expected to meet Anderson at UFC Fight Night 169, in Norfolk, Virginia, on February 29. The card is scheduled to be headlined by a title fight for the vacant flyweight belt, between top contenders Joseph Benavidez and Deiveson Figueiredo.