Sara McMann will not fight at UFC Fight Night 210 – and it’s not her fault.
At Friday’s official weigh-ins at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, her opponent Aspen Ladd missed weight once again, a foul that ultimately led to the cancellation of the bout.
McMann, 41, made weight for what was supposed to be only her second bout since January 2021. Although her return is now further delayed, McMann revealed in an Instagram post the UFC took “very good” care of her. She also advocated for a system in which Ladd’s failed weight cut wouldn’t even be possible.
“What to even say… I’m really disappointed that things went the way they did,” McMann wrote. “I’ve never once missed weight in my career in wrestling or fighting. Missing weight is the equivalent of cheating. You gain such an advantage for every pound that you don’t have to cut. I wish that the promotions and commissions would change the policies so this isn’t even an option at this professional level. That being said, the @ufc took very good care of me for coming in and doing my job like always. I wish I had been able to compete and show the hard work and growth I’ve made since the last fight. I’ll keep sharpening the ax and do some BJJ tournaments in the meantime until my next fight is scheduled. Thanks for everyone who has reached out, you’re the best!!”
Ladd has a well-documented history of poor weight cuts. In September 2018, Ladd missed weight and had a fight with Leslie Smith canceled after Smith declined to fight an overweight opponent. She had a frightening scene of trembling on the scale ahead of a July 2019 bout with Germaine de Randamie, which she ultimately hit the mark for, but suffered a quick TKO loss.
More recently, Ladd missed weight for a October 2021 fight with Macy Chiasson, which was canceled. She then competed at women’s featherweight for one fight – which she lost to Norma Dumont – before moving back down. She made bantamweight for an April fight with Raquel Pennington before this latest incident.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 210.
