Vallejos dismisses robbery claims and calls for Perez title shot after UFC Vegas 121 verdict

UFC featherweight Kevin Vallejos has publicly defended Ailin Perez’s disputed decision victory over Norma Dumont at UFC Vegas 121, dismissing widespread claims of a robbery and calling for Perez to be next in line for the women’s bantamweight title.

Perez (14-2) and Dumont (13-4) entered the bantamweight clash with significant bad blood, but the fight itself proved to be a cautious, clinch-heavy affair with little clean volume from either fighter. All three judges scored it 29-28 for Perez, a verdict that prompted immediate backlash from fans and Dumont herself, who took to social media to express her disbelief.

Vallejos entered the debate after Uruguayan fighter Gaston Reyno posted in defence of the result. The Argentine agreed, posting on X: “I agree, I saw the fight 29-28 for Ailin. Impossible that it was a robbery. It was close in the 3rd round but I felt like Ailin made a bit more of a difference. She deserves to fight for the title.”

The verdict leaves Dumont on a two-fight losing skid and deepens her frustration with the UFC’s judging. Perez, by contrast, is now riding a seven-fight winning streak — the second-longest in UFC women’s bantamweight history — and her camp will be hoping Vallejos’s public endorsement adds momentum to any title conversation.

Whether the UFC matchmakers agree remains to be seen, but Perez’s record and current run of form make a compelling case for a shot at the division’s top prize.