Security separates Perez and Dumont after controversial unanimous decision at UFC Vegas 121

Ailin Perez defeated Norma Dumont by unanimous decision in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 121, but the grudge match nearly continued well past the final horn as multiple security personnel were required to separate the two fighters before and after the result was announced.

The 29-28 verdict on all three scorecards came as a surprise to Dumont, who had grown increasingly combative as the fight progressed. Perez controlled the first round through sharper striking and sealed it with a late takedown, while Dumont grew more aggressive in the second, landing an early takedown of her own before Perez returned to her feet. Dumont landed the most significant punch of the second round in the final 90 seconds and began taunting her opponent — nearly paying for it when she narrowly avoided a spinning back fist from Perez.

The third round followed a similar pattern until Perez pinned Dumont against the fence and landed a brutal knee to the body. A big left hand from Perez landed right at the horn, after which Dumont continued her taunting until security stepped in. The tension escalated further when Perez broke into a celebratory dance after the decision was read, almost sparking a second confrontation.

“She treated me like a prostitute, what do you want me to say?” Perez said in her post-fight interview, explaining the charged atmosphere between the two women.

The chaotic scenes capped a rivalry bout that delivered genuine back-and-forth action across all three rounds, even if the judges ultimately sided with Perez’s cleaner work in the first and third. Dumont’s visible disbelief at the scorecards, combined with the post-fight security intervention, ensured the co-main event left a lasting impression beyond the result itself.