Aspen Ladd is not treating bare-knuckle fighting as a temporary detour.
The former UFC and PFL contender will make her promotional debut against Bianca “The Diamond” Daimoni at BKB 58 on Saturday, Aug. 29, at the James L. Knight Center in Miami. Their super-lightweight bout will take place inside BKB’s patented Trigon ring.
Ladd already has one bare-knuckle appearance under her belt. She made a successful transition from mixed martial arts by scoring a first-round knockout at BKFC 84. However, the 31-year-old wants to compete more frequently, which helped bring her to BKB.
“Bare-knuckle fighting is where my attention has been for the last couple of years,” Ladd told Combat Press during the BKB 58 media scrum. “I wanted to fight a lot more frequently.
“I have a couple of people close to me who fight for BKB. My manager has known them for a long time, and we went back and forth while building a relationship. Eventually, I made the jump.”
Her first assignment will not be an easy one. Daimoni previously challenged Jamie Driver for the BKB welterweight championship and scored a late knockdown before losing by unanimous decision at BKB 50.
Ladd believes the confined dimensions of the Trigon could complement her preference for pressure and close-range exchanges.
“The biggest difference is really the shape of it,” Ladd said. “I like fighting on the inside, so I think it is going to suit me.”
Although Ladd built her MMA career around wrestling and grappling, her recent training has focused almost exclusively on striking. She believes that work has turned her into a more complete fighter.
“I think I have finally evened out as a fighter,” she said. “I was always good everywhere, but grappling was my specialty. I have always liked striking, but now I feel like my striking has finally caught up with my grappling.”
That does not mean Ladd has permanently closed the door on MMA. She continues to wrestle and grapple outside of fight camp, but she has no plans to abandon bare-knuckle competition.
“I do not ever see myself completely stopping,” Ladd said. “I could compete here through the end of my career. I want to prove why people should want to watch me and why women’s bare-knuckle fighting can be just as exciting as anything else.”
First, Ladd must get through Daimoni without sustaining a significant injury. If she does, the former UFC contender hopes to return before the end of 2026 and compete again during the first quarter of 2027.
“If everything goes right, and I am lucky enough to walk out of this fight without any lasting injuries, I would love to have another fight this year,” Ladd said.
BKB 58 airs live on VICE TV beginning at 8 p.m. ET. The preliminary card will stream on BKB’s TikTok channel.