Flyweight contender Erin Blanchfield believes she can become the first woman to stop Manon Fiorot in their main event bout at UFC Fight Night: Blanchfield vs Fiorot this Saturday night.
The two will meet in Blanchfield’s native Atlantic City at the Boardwalk Hall at the top of a 14 bout card which will see Vincent Luque and Joaquin Buckley square off in the co main event.
The Fiorot bout will be the first time fight fans will see Blanchfield in the Octagon since her unanimous decision win against Talia Santos in August of 2023. Talking to Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, ‘Cold Blooded’ discussed how the time off had come to be, with her opting to wait for the right fight. She said:
“No particular reason. I guess at this level, there's not a lot of people to fight. And then I know Manon fought in like, September. Pretty much I knew that she was probably going to be my next fight after the way that the Alexa and Valentina fight went. so I guess we're just a matter of time of matching us up.”
The bout is largely thought to be a number one contender contest and although Blanchfield has not been given confirmation of this, the 24-year-old can’t see how it can be anything else but would be happy to compete again in following the bout in order to stay active.
“I haven't been told anything in particular. I feel like it is pretty rare where there's, promises like that. You know how it is, winning in an interesting fashion or great fashion is always gonna put you right in that spot. So I feel like with a good performance Saturday, that there's no way I can't get the title shot.
“ I definitely feel like it would be enough to get me a title shot. They haven't even matched up the third fight against Alexa and Valentina yet, so, if that takes a while, I wouldn't be opposed to fighting again just because I'd rather stay active than, wait until they're kind of done doing that whole trilogy. but I definitely feel it with a good performance Saturday, I feel like it's like literally my third number one contender fight, like, beating Jessica Andradje, beating Talia and then beating Manon on Saturday. It's like, who else can I can I beat? That's even better than that.”
Both women have looked seriously impressive since signing with the UFC, each with six promotional wins under their belt. When asked where she believes Fiorot ranks in terms of people she has faced, Blanchfied said that at the top of the sport it is difficult to rank her opposition.
“I would say that they're all. I mean, they're all like, top five, so they're all very good. They kind of just have, like, their own unique things that they're better at. So, you know, she's like a kickboxer. She's obviously going to try to keep it striking. So I feel like I've been working things to deal with that.
“I feel like it's just another tough challenge. I think they're all pretty equal. It's just what someone is better at than the other.”
At only 24, Blanchfield grew up watching the development of women’s mixed martial arts and wasn’t fully invested in the sport until she watched two of the best to ever do it compete.
“I remember watching Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate. I really like them. And that was the first fight I was really paying attention to, and then I watched their careers, all through the UFC. I really wanted to fight Miesha Tate when she came back to you, I thought that'd be cool.”
Ahead of their main event bout on Saturday night, Blanchfield predicts she will find a way to stop the Frenchwomen once she gets into the bout.
“I feel like there'll definitely be a finish by the third or fourth round. I feel like, my pressure and the my strategies that have been like training, they're going to come together and I'll feel it in there and find my finish.”
