UFC 303 main card fighter Macy Chiasson wants to see Kayla Harrison face another ranked bantamweight before challenging for the division's gold.
On this weekend's pay-per-view main card, Chiasson has the chance to climb into championship contention at 135 pounds when she shares the Octagon with Mayra Bueno Silva, the division's most recent title challenger and #3-ranked contender.
If she achieves that feat, the 32-year-old will join a queue below champ Raquel Pennington that is currently led by Julianna Peña and Harrison, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time title winner under the PFL banner.
Harrison debuted on MMA's biggest stage in style at UFC 300 this past April, dominating an ex-bantamweight queen in Holly Holm en route to a second-round submission.
That performance left some calling for the Ohio native to immediately challenge for the gold. But Chiasson wants to see Harrison face another contender, one ranked four spots below "The Preacher's Daughter."
Chiasson Wants Harrison To Fight Dumont Before Getting Title Shot
During a fight week interview for UFC.com, Chiasson discussed Harrison's arrival in the weight class earlier this year and assessed her current standing in the title conversation.
The #7-ranked contender praised the newcomer but pushed back on the notion that she has already earned a shot at the belt. Before getting the champ, Chiasson would like to see Harrison face the #10-ranked Norma Dumont.
Kayla Harrison is amazing. She put on a great performance against Holly," Chiasson said. "I'd like to see her fight somebone else before, you know, a title shot. Preferably Norma Dumont. I would like to see here fight Norma Dumont.
The 303 fighter outpointed Dumont by way of split decision at UFC 274 in 2022, a fight that was contested at a catchweight after the Brazilian missed the 146-pound featherweight limit.
Chiasson later repeated and expanded on that pitch during her appearance at UFC 303 media day on Wednesday, outlining her wish to see Harrison share the cage with a more physical presence than was the case in her debut fight.
I really want to see Kayla fight Norma Dumont. I think that would be an awesome matchup. They're both very like, bigger, physical women," Chiasson explained. "I really wanna see how Kayla does against someone with that kind of caliber of power and physicality to them.
Since losing to Chiasson, Dumont has won four straight inside the Octagon. However, only one of those results came at bantamweight, with the Brazilian defeating returning former champ Germaine de Randamie this past April.
While Harrison and Dumont await their next assignments, Chiasson has business to attend to this weekend in the form of Bueno Silva. Perhaps a quick win for the American will put her name in the hat for Harrison's sophomore UFC fight.
Loading tweet...