After months of uncertainty, social media campaigns, and unanswered questions surrounding the women’s flyweight division, Ellie Dempster finally has what she wanted:
A title fight.
At Power Slap 21 on July 10th in Las Vegas, Dempster will face Zoe Dubois for the inaugural Women’s Flyweight Championship, officially ushering in a new era for the division.
And according to Dempster, the biggest victory may simply be that everyone finally has an answer.
The Paige VanZant Chapter Is Finally Closed
For much of 2025 and early 2026, the women’s flyweight division sat in limbo while questions surrounded former champion Paige VanZant’s future.
Dempster became one of the most vocal athletes in Power Slap, repeatedly calling for clarity regarding the championship picture.
Now that the situation has been resolved, she says the relief is enormous.
“Can we all just celebrate that we finally got an answer?”
Dempster made it clear her issue was never personal with VanZant.
In fact, she continues to speak highly of the former champion.
“Nothing against Paige. I think she’s a great person and an excellent athlete.”
Her frustration came from watching an entire division remain stalled while athletes waited for direction.
“It was the quiet and the silence that was holding up an entire division.”
After months of campaigning, Dempster finally got what she wanted—a definitive path forward.
Why Zoe Dubois Was The Right Choice
With the championship now vacant, Power Slap selected Zoe Dubois as Dempster’s opponent for the inaugural title fight.
And Dempster fully supports the decision.
She believes Dubois earned the opportunity by defeating Chelsea Dodson, who famously went the distance with Paige VanZant.
“I don’t think they could have chosen a better opponent.”
Far from viewing the matchup as an easy path to gold, Dempster expects one of the toughest tests of her career.
“This is going to be one of my biggest challenges yet.”
She repeatedly praised Dubois’ work ethic and dedication, noting that both women have earned the opportunity to represent the division on its biggest stage.
Two Completely Different Athletes
One of the most intriguing aspects of the matchup is how different the two competitors are.
Ellie Dempster
- Muay Thai background
- Combat sports veteran
- Experience in MMA and Karate Combat
- Aggressive personality and growing media presence
Zoe Dubois
- Wrestling background
- Technical competitor
- Quiet worker
- Known for discipline and consistency
Dempster believes the clash of styles and personalities could make for a compelling storyline.
While she intends to continue being one of the loudest voices in Power Slap, she says Dubois may choose a different path.
“She could choose to make a scene, or she could choose to stay quiet and keep her head down.”
Either way, Dempster plans on remaining highly active throughout the build-up.
“Best know I’m gonna be making tons of content.”
Months Of Frustration Finally Turn Into Opportunity
While many fans saw Dempster’s social media campaign as excessive, she revealed there was a deeper reason behind it.
She wasn’t simply trying to create drama.
She was trying to stay relevant while waiting for Power Slap to make a decision.
“If I want to step on that stage, I need to make noise.”
The frustration became even greater because she had already been preparing for a potential Paige VanZant matchup months earlier.
“I got offered the Paige fight back in January.”
After that fight failed to materialize, Dempster found herself stuck in limbo while events continued without her.
Now she finally has something she can focus on.
“I finally get to do what I love to do.”
Becoming The Face Of A New Division
Dempster understands the significance of this fight extends far beyond herself.
The winner won’t simply become champion.
She’ll become the first Women’s Flyweight Champion in Power Slap history.
For Dempster, that responsibility carries tremendous weight.
“So few people get to pioneer a new sport.”
She believes both herself and Dubois are worthy representatives of the division and capable of carrying the championship with professionalism.
“Regardless if the belt goes to me or it goes to Zoe, you’ve got two amazing people.”
Still, the Canadian standout understands the opportunity in front of her.
A victory would make her the first Canadian champion in Power Slap history.
Studying Zoe Dubois
When asked what she sees when studying Dubois’ film, Dempster offered an interesting perspective.
She believes the athlete she watches on tape won’t be the athlete she faces in July.
“The person that you watch on tape is not gonna be the person I go up against.”
Because Dubois has a full training camp ahead of her, Dempster expects significant improvements and adjustments.
One thing she does know is that Dubois can strike from both sides.
“She’s left and right. She’s gonna switch it up.”
But rather than focusing on predicting specific techniques, Dempster’s preparation centers on being ready for everything.
“Prepare for the worst.”
A Completely New Training Camp
For Power Slap 21, Dempster plans to overhaul her preparation.
Her previous camp focused heavily on bodybuilding-style strength training.
This time, she’s shifting toward a more athletic approach centered around calisthenics.
She revealed she’ll be working closely with elite calisthenics coach Brennan Casso throughout camp.
Camp Focus Includes:
- Calisthenics training
- Strength development
- Cardio conditioning
- Neck strengthening
- Slap-specific preparation
- Recovery and mobility work
“We’re gonna try weights, calisthenics, cardio, do the whole nine yards.”
The goal is fine-tuning rather than rebuilding.
Weight Will Not Be An Issue
Unlike previous camps, Dempster says she’s learned valuable lessons about weight management.
After a difficult cut in the past, she has maintained her target weight year-round.
“You could call me in tomorrow and I could make the cut.”
That means this camp can focus entirely on performance rather than drastic weight loss.
“This is just fine-tuning.”
Learning To Become A Star
One of the most revealing parts of the interview came when Dempster discussed her evolution outside competition.
She admits she wasn’t naturally outspoken when she entered Power Slap.
In fact, many fans criticized her early media appearances for being too polite.
“People were saying you’re too polite.”
The Paige VanZant situation ultimately forced her to become more comfortable promoting herself.
“If I don’t make noise, I’m not getting on that stage again.”
She credits several athletes for helping her develop that side of her game, including former opponent Haley Jervis.
Today, Dempster sees promotion as part of the job.
“You have to make noise to get there.”
A Message For Zoe Dubois
As the interview came to a close, Dempster delivered a message to her future opponent.
The tone wasn’t hostile.
It was competitive.
And it perfectly captured how she views the upcoming title fight.
“Study up. Get your work in.”
Then she made one thing clear.
“You’re gonna have the biggest challenge that you’ve ever had yet.”
Despite the respect between them, Dempster expects both women to bring everything they have on July 10th.
“Let’s give them one hell of a show.”
And with the first Women’s Flyweight Championship on the line, that’s exactly what Power Slap fans should expect.