UFC veteran Aspen Ladd will fight Ekaterina Shakalova in a featherweight bout as part of the Bellator roster on May 17 in Paris.
Aspen Ladd’s back in the game! She’s now part of the Bellator crew, gearing up for a featherweight clash with Ekaterina Shakalova. The showdown’s set for May 17, right in the heart of Paris.
Remember Ladd? She’s a UFC vet. Last time we saw her in action was under the PFL banner, just last November. Didn’t go too well, though. She lost to Kayla Harrison in a unanimous decision. It was a featured bout on the season-end card, right after Ladd’s unsuccessful bid to advance to the PFL playoffs. She had a 1-1 record in the regular season format, if you’re keeping score.
Since landing in PFL, Ladd’s record stands at 2-2. Not too shabby, considering she’s got a win over ex-Bellator featherweight champ Julia Budd under her belt.
PFL’s been shaking things up. They’ve hosted a women’s lightweight tournament and a women’s featherweight tournament in past seasons. But, plot twist, both divisions got the boot from the season-long format for 2024. Instead, they brought in women’s flyweight for the current season. A bunch of Bellator fighters, including champ Liz Carmouche, jumped on the PFL bandwagon.
Now, it’s Ladd’s turn to switch sides. She’s moving from PFL to Bellator, joining the ongoing champions series. You can catch the action on Max in May.
What about Shakalova? Well, this is her second Bellator gig. Her first didn’t go too well either. She lost to Dayana Silva in a split decision last August. Tough break.
The Ladd vs. Shakalova bout is the newest addition to the ever-expanding Bellator Paris card. The main event? A lightweight title fight between champ Usman Nurmagomedov and Alexander Shabliy. Can’t wait!