The UFC parts ways with Aspen Ladd following latest weight miss

Women’s bantamweight contender Aspen Ladd has been released from the UFC.

The 27-year-old has been out of action since her bout with Raquel Pennington in April. At UFC 273, ‘Rocky’ scored a unanimous decision victory. The loss was the second in a row for Ladd, who previously lost to Norma Dumont up at 145-pounds.

The California native was set to face off with Sara McMann earlier this month at UFC Vegas 60. However, the bout was called off after weigh-ins, due to Ladd missing weight by two pounds. McMann refused to fight her as a result. The weight miss was the third time in Ladd’s career that she missed weight.

It also seems that the UFC Vegas 60-weight miss might’ve been the final straw for the UFC. As first reported by UFC Roster Watch, and later confirmed by MMAFighting, the 27-year-old has been cut by the promotion.

Image: @ufc on Instagram

While no official reason has been given, Aspen Ladd was likely released due to her trouble making weight. In addition to missing weight on three occasions, the 27-year-old has visibly trembled on the scale in the past, such as in her 2019 knockout loss to Germaine de Randamie.

Those weight misses led California State Athletic Commission to recommend the bantamweight to move up. However, Ladd only fought once up at 145-pounds. That bout came last fall when she lost to Norma Dumont after missing weight for a previous fight with Macy Chiasson.

With her release, Aspen Ladd will exit the UFC with a 4-3 professional record. While once regarded as a top prospect, she failed to be consistent in the promotion. However, at only 27 years old, there’s no guarantee we don’t see her in the octagon again in the future.

What do you think about Aspen Ladd being released? Where do you want to see her fight next? Sound off in the comment section below!