Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
- A fast-rising women's fighter has detailed the trauma she went through trying to make weight.
- Weight-cutting is a normal practise in combat sports but can come at a cost.
- For Norma Dumont, that cost has left her close to death, she said.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
Rising UFC star Norma Dumont said she "almost died" trying to cut weight for some of her previous mixed martial arts matches.
The Brazilian featherweight, who is a black belt in Chinese boxing and a purple belt in jiu jitsu, joined the UFC in 2020 and has built a 2-1 record in the organization so far.
Since joining the Las Vegas-headquartered fight firm, however, Dumont says that cutting weight for bantamweight bouts at the 135-pound limit has left her unwell.
Dumont told the combat sports website Combate that she has endured physical and mental trauma, and has been in such a state of despair that she has cried in front of doctors.
"I almost died in the last two weight cuts," said Dumont ahead of her third UFC fight at the weekend.
"I was very bad, it caused me a little trauma, so much that I had difficulty for two days to get in the shower to bathe because of the sensation, my heart was racing.
"The first few times I talked about cutting weight, I cried, I cried with the doctors every time I had to talk. It's really traumatic because of how the process went.
"I don't want to go through this anymore. I don't want to suffer this much anymore. I want it to be in a healthy way, but I also don't want to give up my career."
Dumont advanced her pro MMA record Saturday at the behind-closed-doors UFC Fight Night event in Las Vegas, out-pointing Felicia Spence in a featherweight fight.
She lost by knockout to Megan Anderson on her UFC debut in March, before rebounding with a decision win against Ashlee Evans-Smith at 135-pounds in November.
Dumont said she always had trouble hitting the lower weight, and missed that limit in previous fights.
She fought at featherweight on Saturday, but plans on relocating to Las Vegas for 2021 and training right and eating right so she can make the 135-pound bantamweight limit without feeling unwell.