12 Sensational UFC Bouts In March That You Must Watch
9. Aspen Ladd vs. Julianna Peña - UFC On ESPN 8
If you were one of the many fans who were ready to jump off the Aspen Ladd hype train after her loss to Germaine de Randemie back in July last year, then chances are you jumped right back on it after she smashed Yana Kunitskaya during their match-up at UFC on ESPN 7 in December.
The 24-year old has been earmarked as the future of the UFC's women's bantamweight division for a number of years. Other than the shocking loss to de Randemie, Ladd has been able to crush opponents using her explosive power and relentless aggression when attacking opponents. It doesn't hurt that she's a devastating puncher either and she'll need every ounce of that power when she takes on Julianna Pena.
Much like Ladd, Pena was also a highly touted fighter following her victory on season 18 of The Ultimate Fighter. However, a nasty knee injury and the birth of her daughter meant that there have been extensive breaks during her career. She did look fantastic against Nicco Montano in her return to the Octagon back in July 2019, as she showed that her skills hadn't become stagnant at all.
With the women's 135lb division in a state of flux, a win for either fighter could put them in line for a title fight against Amanda Nunes in 2020 at some point.