After about a year away from the Octagon, Erin Blanchfield showed why she’s a top name at 125, scoring a submission of Tracy Cortez during the UFC 322 prelims — avenging a previous loss in the process. Impact-Site-Verification: 4e5f36a6-f7f1-45e3-9e5f-57a88e055dc0
To the surprise of plenty, Blanchfield elected to not use her grappling in the opening frame, standing in a kickboxing battle with Cortez. Cortez took advantage and seemed to be quicker to the punch, landing well on inside shots.
It was Cortez, however, who shot for and scored the takedown early in the second round, getting to the back of Blanchfield. Blanchfield, however, managed to work her way in countering to the back of Cortez. Blanchfield then traded well with Cortez in the stand-up game before scoring her own takedown and threatening an arm-triangle choke.
Blanchfield scored another takedown in the second round’s final minute, locking up a rear-naked choke and scoring the win.
Erin Blanchfield Submits Tracy Cortez At UFC 322
Erin Blanchfield with a nasty rear-naked choke to finish Tracy Cortez in the second round.
Blanchfield has won 11 of 12, with her sole UFC loss coming against Manon Fiorot at UFC Atlantic City in March 2024. This was her first fight since defeating Rose Namajunas UFC Edmonton in November 2024.
Cortez has now lost two of her last three since starting her MMA career 11-1.
Tracy Cortez and Erin Blanchfield are set to run it back in a rematch.
On Tuesday, MMA Junkieās Nolan King first reported that Tracy Cortez and Erin Blanchfield are booked for a flyweight clash with possible title implications at UFC 322 on November 15. Although the promotion has yet to finalize the venue for its 12th pay-per-view event of 2025, history suggests it will likely land at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The UFC 322 headliner is heavily rumored to feature former lightweight champion Islam Makhachev moving up in weight to challenge reigning welterweight king Jack Della Maddalena. However, the potential showdown has yet to be made official.
When Did Tracy Cortez and Erin Blanchfield First Face Off?
UFC 322 is set to host a rematch six years in the making, as Tracy Cortez and Erin Blanchfield run it back following their first encounter at Invicta FC 34 in 2019. On that night, Cortez edged out Blanchfield via razor-close split decision, handing her the first loss of her professional career.
Image: Invicta Fighting Championships/Facebook
Erin Blanchfield last competed at UFC Edmonton in November 2024, where she rebounded from her first loss in the Octagon to Manon Fiorot by outclassing former strawweight champion Rose Namajunas in a unanimous decision. āCold Blooded” currently holds a 7-1 record in the UFC, with notable victories over Taila Santos, Jessica Andrade, and Molly McCann.
Blanchfield was slated to headline UFC Vegas 107 against Maycee Barber in May. However, moments before her walkout, “The Future” experienced a medical issue, forcing the fight to be canceled immediately.
The #UFCVegas107 main event between Maycee Barber and Erin Blanchfield has been called off due to the medical issues with the former.
Meanwhile, Tracy Cortez is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Viviane Araujo at UFC 317 in June. The 31-year-oldās five-fight UFC win streak was previously snapped by Rose Namajunas in July 2024. Since making her promotional debut in November 2019, Cortez has compiled a 6-1 UFC record, earning wins over Jasmine Jasudavicius and Melissa Gatto.
It was back to the UFC APEX this past Saturday night, as the UFC held its May 31 Fight Night event — UFC Vegas 107: Erin Blanchfield vs. Maycee Barber in its headquarters.
The night ended up being history making in a way no one expected — the scheduled main event of the evening did not make the walk to the Octagon.
The planned main event between Blanchfield and Barber would have been a battle of top-five women’s flyweight contenders. Blanchfield has won 10 of her last 11 and was to come into this fight off a November win over Rose Namajunas. Barber, meanwhile, is on a six-fight win streak and would have competed for the first time since UFC 299 after battling several health issues during 2024.
Only nine bouts went ahead on the night — five on the main card and four in the prelims. The final event of the evening, the originally scheduled co-main event, saw Mateusz Gamrot compete in his first fight since his UFC 305 loss to Dan Hooker, as he took on L’udovit Klein.
The main card also featured Dustin Jacoby taking on Bruno Lopes, a women’s featherweight battle between Ketlen Vieira and Macy Chiasson, and Zachary Reese facing DuÅ”ko TodoroviÄ.
Let’s now take in the good and the bad with this week’s edition of Hits and Misses!
I can’t say for certain that this was the worst card in the history of the UFC like some on a certain social media platform are saying. But after the entertaining Apex night that was the UFC Fight Night on May 17, this one, held in the same venue just two weeks later, definitely has to be up there for the Worst Card of 2025.
Firstly, “card subject to change” really came into play in this show. Andreas Gustafsson originally gets booked with Jeremiah Wells before an injury to Wells sees him replaced by Trevin Giles — only for Giles to be pulled on the day of weigh-ins after falling in the bathroom. Ramiz Brahimaj and Billy Ray Goff faced each other because their original opponents, Oban Elliott and Ko Seok-hyun, respectively, had visa issues. So, the UFC decided to play “le switcheroo.” Michael Aswell filled in on just days’ notice against Bolaji Oki after MarQuel Mederos fell ill.
And then of course came what happened in the main event — when Maycee Barber’s sudden medical issue resulted in her fight with Erin Blanchfield being canceled right before Octagon walks. The Fight Night became UFC Fight Night: Gamrot vs. Klein IN RETROSPECT. That is insanity.
And it’s only after all that you can point to a lack number of fights, a lack of star power, and a lack of finishes.
Despite some entertaining evenings such as UFCs 314 and 315, as well as the Burns vs. Morales card of two weeks ago, UFC Vegas 107 provided us a stark reminder that the sport of MMA is in a recession period — and that (even some WWE fans may tell you) the UFC under TKO’s rule just may be providing us the darkest modern timelime in this promotion.
Hit – Jordan Leavitt Reminds Us How Entertaining He Can Be
Only one finish came on the preliminary card, and fortunately it was such a highlight, as Jordan Leavitt pulled off a quick submission of Kurt Holobaugh.
Both men are great grapplers, but Leavitt proved he was the better fighter on this night. He not only was the one who initiated the ground battle, but he dominated with top pressure but putting Holobaugh to sleep with a choke.
On top of that, he had a solid worm celebration that he showed off following his victory.
Leavitt hasn’t been the most dominant since bursting onto the UFC scene from Dana White’s Contender Series, but he’s had some great finishes. In addition to this one against Holobaugh, he’s also earned bonuses from his slam KO of Matt Wiman and his finish of Victor Martinez.
This was Leavitt’s first fight after missing all of 2024, and he reminded fight fans just how exciting he can be to watch here.
Miss – Ketlen Vieira’s Weight Issues, Macy Chiasson’s Performance
Ketlen Vieira and Macy Chiasson was a fight I had my eye on solely based on their names alone in this card that didn’t have the greatest of star power. Unfortunately, their name values and their status as top-five bantamweight contenders couldn’t save a fight that ultimately proved to sound a lot better on paper.
It was a one-sided slaughtering on the side of Vieira. After landing some powerful strikes early on, Vieira was dominant on the ground for most of the fight, overwhelming Chiasson with top pressure and strong positioning, limiting most of Chiasson’s offense. It wasn’t until the closing stages of the last round that Chiasson tried to blitz and overwhelm Vieira on the feet — and even then it wasn’t enough.
On the Vieira side of the things, it was a strong performance. Unfortunately, part of the problem with this fight is that it took place at a weight class the UFC doesn’t do anything with anymore (not like they did much with it in the first place either) — women’s featherweight. The two were scheduled to face off at 135, but the fight was moved to 145 on the day of weigh-ins because of “weight management” issues on the side of Vieira.
If this fight had taken place at its originally intended weight class, I think there would have been a lot more talk about her being in line to face the winner of next week’s Julianna Pena vs. Kayla Harrison title fight. There still can be, but the weight management issues will definitely bring that into question. This is especially after how May also saw weight management issues get involved in Jose Aldo’s retirement fight with Aiemann Zahabi.
Meanwhile, for Chiasson, this was just a brutal outing. This was definitely a step back after a 2024 that saw her earn performance bonuses in finishes of Pannie Kianzad and former title challenger Mayra Bueno Silva. You just have to hope it was an off night, she dusts off and gets back to the planning room and can get back to her recent powerful self in her next outing.
Hit – Dustin Jacoby Delivers Some Needed Violence
When this card needed a wake-up call, Dustin Jacoby was the one to deliver it. He also had one of the only finishes on the night, pulling off a quick, powerful victory over Bruno Lopes.
Jacoby rocked Lopes with a jab. Then he did more damage with an elbow. Then a couple of hooks started a wild flurry against Lopes, who was up against the fence, before Lopes crumbled to the mat for an easy first-round finish.
After getting knocked out by Dominick Reyes last year, which brought about four losses in five fights, things looked grim for Jacoby. But back-to-back knockout victories now show just how fun it can be to watch the former GLORY Kickboxing star.
Hopefully this is the start of him getting back to winning ways that he had when he came into the UFC in 2020.
Hit – From Injury To Shining Performance For Ramiz Brahimaj
If Jordan Leavitt had the great submission and Dustin Jacoby had the great KO, then Ramiz Brahimaj had the upset of the evening and the feel-good moment of it.
Brahimaj pulled off a strong submission victory of his own, taking out Billy Ray Goff. He got Goff down and to his back quickly before Goff stood up and got the fight in a clinch, landing a strong elbow in the process. Brahimaj, however, showed off slick submission skills by going from a guillotine choke attempt to a ninja choke that put Goff to sleep — ending things before the referee could.
Brahimaj was a major underdog going into the fight, and that just adds to the story of how a spinal injury could have ended his career just a couple of years ago.
A feel good moment for Brahimaj, and it’s hopefully more positive momentum that he can ride.
Miss – Erin Blanchfield And Maycee Barber Don’t Make The Main Event Walk
The main event promo package on ESPN+ had just finished airing. The camera transitioned back to the UFC APEX. But no music played. At first I’m sitting there thinking “Well, typical UFC on ESPN and a production botch” — only to then see that the commentary team was confused by no fighters making the walk out just as I was.
And when the camera transitioned back over to the UFC commentary team before a throw to a sudden commercial break, I just knew this fight wasn’t happening. And indeed it didn’t.
Unfortunately, since COVID, we’ve seen instances of sudden cancelations of bouts during cards. Trevin Giles fainted moments before his scheduled bout with Kevin Holland. Chas Skelly was already in the Octagon when his February 2021 fight with Jamall Emmers was scrapped due to Emmers suffering back spasms. We’ve seen several instances in this five-year timespan where fighters are pulled on the day of the event due to illness or some sort of medical issue.
But if we’re talking exclusively main event fights, we haven’t seen a thing like this happen since UFC 24 in March 2000, when Kevin Randleman slipped backstage and received a concussion, canceling a scheduled heavyweight title bout with Pedro Rizzo — ruining the whole “First Defense” tagline of that card.
As of press time, we have no official word as to what happened other than a last-minute medical issue. Blanchfield claimed in an interview on the broadcast that Barber suffered a seizure but she wouldn’t entertain a re-scheduling with Barber due to Barber’s “unprofessionalism.”
If it’s true Barber suffered a seizure for whatever reason, Blanchfield’s call of someone being “unprofessional” feels dirty. But simultaneously, you have to feel for her, being ready to go after all her work and preparation — only for the fight to be called off as she’s getting ready to make the walk. Fortunately, she did reportedly receive her show and win money.
Also, it’s such a shame that Barber goes through this after battling a litany of health issues stemming from Epstein-Barr that included a nine-day hospitalization, with Barber’s health getting so bad to the point she felt she was going to die. And now, here we are. And knowing how brutal the MMA fanbase, let alone the whole industry, can be, this historic circumstance — combined with her weight miss and Blanchfield’s doubts Barber would make it to the cage — may end up being a bad PR time for her.
The sudden main event cancelation was just the cherry on top of the gross sundae that was the May 31, 2025 UFC Fight Night event.
Just when you think you’ve seen it all in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts, something always can happen to leave you in shock. And UFC Vegas 107 had such an event.
The scheduled main event bout between Erin Blanchfield and Maycee Barber was canceled just before the fighters were scheduled to walk out for the fight. ESPN had just played the main event promo package but neither fighter appeared for entrances.
After a long commercial break, the UFC commentary team announced that Barber had suffered a medical issue and was pulled from the fight by the UFC’s medical staff at the last minute.
Blanchfield claims that Barber suffered a seizure prior to walkouts.
Erin Blanchfield vs. Maycee Barber Main Event Scrapped Right Before Walkouts At UFC Vegas 107
This was to be Barber’s first fight since her victory over Katlyn Cerminara at UFC 299. Barber had battled various health issues over the past year, including a bout with Epstein-Barr that resulted in her being hospitalized for nine days.
Barber had missed weight by half a pound the day before the event. Blanchfield had suggested earlier in the week that Barber may not make it to the fight — and said in a backstage interview immediately after the cancelation that she would, at the word of her coaches, not entertain any sort of re-scheduling with Barber.
There has been one other occurrence where the UFC lost its main event during the card itself. UFC 24 was originally scheduled to be headlined by UFC heavyweight champion Kevin Randleman defending his title against Pedro Rizzo until Randleman slipped on the concrete floor backstage, hospitalized with a concussion.
Blanchfield has won 10 of her last 11 bouts, with her sole loss in the span coming against recent title challenger Manon Fiorot. This would have been Blanchfield’s first fight since her win over Rose Namajunas in November.
Barber was to have entered this fight on a six-fight win streak.
UFC Fight Night took place tonight from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights!Ā
In the main event, women’s flyweightsĀ Erin BlanchfieldĀ and Maycee Barber were set to clash, however the fight was canceled just as the fighters were about to enter the cage. In the co-main event,Ā Mateusz GamrotĀ faced off with Ludovit Klein in a lightweight matchup.Ā
UFC Fight Night Results: Main Card
Erin Blanchfield vs. Maycee BarberĀ was canceled due to medical issue with Barber
Mateusz Gamrot def. Ludovit Klein via unanimous decision (30-27×3)
Ramiz Brahimaj def. Billy Ray Goff via submission: R1, 3.16
Dustin Jacoby def. Bruno Lopes via KO: R1, 1.50
Ketlen Vieira def. Macy Chiasson via unanimous decision (29-28×2, 30-27)
Zachary Reese def. Dusko Todorovic via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
Preliminary Card
Allan Nascimento def. Jafel Filho via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
Jordan Leavitt def. Kurt Holobaugh via submission: R1, 1.39
Bolaji Oki def. Michael Aswell via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
Alice Ardelean def. Rayanne Dos Santos via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28×2)
Preliminary Card Highlights
Jordan Leavitt def. Kurt Holobaugh
Jordan Leavitt submitted Kurt Holobaugh in the first round.
UFC Vegas 107 is almost upon us, and MMA News is here to keep you updated with the current odds for this weekendās lineup.
The upcoming event takes place Saturday, May 31, at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card begins at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 6 PM ET/3 PM PT.
A top-5 flyweight contenders battle will top off tonight’s action, as former title challenger Erin Blanchfield takes on Maycee Barber.
Also making the walk on Saturday will include Mateusz Gamrot and L’udovit Klein (who battle in the lightweight co-main event), as well as Dustin Jacoby, Ketlen Vieira and Macy Chiasson.
UFC Vegas 107: Blanchfield vs. Murphy Betting Odds
Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC Vegas 107 (as of 1:30pm ET on 5/31), courtesy ofĀ DraftKings.
Main Card:
Erin Blanchfield (-238) vs. Maycee Barber (+195)
Mateusz Gamrot (-155) vs. ĽudovĆt Klein (+130) Ramiz Brahimaj (+320) vs. Billy Ray Goff (-410)
Dustin Jacoby (-192) vs. Bruno Lopes (+160)
Ketlen Vieira (+114) vs. Macy Chiasson (-135)
Zachary Reese (-198) vs. DuÅ”ko TodoroviÄ (+164)
Preliminary Card:
Jafel Filho (+102) vs. Allan Nascimento (-122)
Kurt Holobaugh (+200) vs. Jordan Leavitt (-245)
Bolaji Oki (-470) vs. Michael Aswell (+360)
Rayanne dos Santos (-205) vs. Alice Ardelean (+170)
Erin Blanchfield is aware of the challenge in front of her but seems to feel like it’s business as usual heading into UFC Vegas 107. Blanchfield takes on Maycee Barber in a batle of top five flyweights that can really informt he divisional hierarchy when the two meet on Saturday, May 31st. Blanchfield vs. Barber serves as the UFC on ESPN 68 headliner with the former fielding several quesitons from on-site reporters during the fight week media day proceedings. When addressing her road heading into this bout as well as her thoughts on the number five ranked 125 pounder she will be testing skills against in the coming days, Blanchfield said,
“I’m feeling really good. I’m super excited. What excites me most about this matchup? I think it’s another great matchup in the top fiveāanother main event. Yeah, I’m just excited to show off what I’ve been working on.”
“I do think with a really good performance, I get the shot at the title. At this point, it’s not just about winning, but also how you win. So, I plan on winning in impressive fashion.”
“Maycee’s a pretty aggressive fighter. Sheās very forward pressure, a lot of big hooks. This is her first five-rounder, so I could see her maybe being a little bit more reserved, but I think that’s going to come out of her at some point.”
“My keys to success are the same as always: stay disciplined, fight my fight, and stay technical.”
Erin Blanchfield vs. Maycee Barber and where the winner is in proximity to the belt
Erin Blanchfield and Maycee Barber is an intriguing bout when considering the X’s and O’s of how the pair match up stylistically but there’s also a lot of intrigue regarding where the victor is in the contender queue. It would seem like Valentina Shevchenko is set to next defend her belt against either Natalia Silva, who is ranked number one at flyweight, or a super fight with the champion at 115 pounds, Zhang Weili. The only two combatants ahead of Barber and Erin Blanchfield (Manon Fiorot and Alexa Grasso) are both coming off of losses to the aforementioned Shevchenko and Silva, respectively.
14 months on from suffering her first UFC defeat at the hands of Manon Fiorot, the 25-year-old American will look to stake her claim for a shot at the winner of the Frenchwoman’s title challenge against Valentina Shevchenko on May 10.
To do so, “Cold Blooded” must spoil the return of fellow countrywoman Maycee Barber (14-2). While a six-fight winning streak placed “The Future” in the championship conversation, health problems have kept her away from the cage since a victory over Katlyn Cerminara last March.
Barber will now have the chance to regain momentum in her maiden main event on MMA’s biggest stage, which the promotion announced for a UFC Fight Night inside the Apex on social media this week.
Following the conclusion of her trilogy with Alexa Grasso, flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko is ready to move on to her next challenger. Fortunately for her, in the time between her first and final encounters with Grasso, a new contender has emerged at the top of the division that she is yet to face.
French striker Manon Fiorot has won seven in a row since arriving in the UFC to mark her out as the clear and obvious next challenger for Shevchenko. In her last two fights, she beat Rose Namajunas and Erin Blanchfield who faced off with one another this past weekend in Edmonton.
After Blanchfield secured the decision win, she called out Grasso for a title eliminator whilst she waits for Fiorot to get her long deserved title shot. In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Fiorot’s former opponent gave her thoughts on how she might fare against the champion.
Blanchfield drew attention to the size of the challenger as an interesting problem for Shevchenko to try and solve with her efficient and varied toolbox. In what many will expect to be Fiorot’s striking versus Shevchenko’s grappling, the size difference between them could end up being a crucial factor in the fight.
The champion may have previously competed as a bantamweight but she isn’t the biggest fighter in this weight class and that could be an issue for her because of how good Fiorot is at using this to her advantage.
āI think Manon can use her size. I think sheās a very big flyweight and she knows how to use her range and like her length. I think Valentina is more like dynamic and has more skills so Iām curious how Valentina is going to deal with her size because I know in the past, letās say with like Taila, I remember complaining about how big Taila is and I feel like Manonās significantly bigger so yeah, I think itās a good match-up and Iām curious to see how it goes.āĀ Ā
UFC Fight Night took place tonight from Rogers Place in Edmonton, Canada and MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights!Ā
In the main event, top-five flyweights Brandon Moreno (#2) and Amir Albazi (#3) clashed. While in the co-main event, Erin Blanchfield faced Rose Namajunas in a womenās flyweight matchup.Ā
UFC Fight Night Results: Main Card
Flyweight Main Event: Brandon Moreno def. Amir Albazi via unanimous decision (49-46, 50-45×2)Ā
Womenās Flyweight Co-Main Event: Erin Blanchfield def. Rose Namajunas via unanimous decision (48-47×3)
Erin Blanchfield pulled off a reverse sweep and earned a win over another former UFC champion, defeating Rose Namajunas in the UFC Edmonton co-main event.
Namajunas had early control of the fight, utilizing her striking over the course of the first two rounds. While Blanchfield had bright spots in the opening frame, “Thug Rose’s” striking was on complete display in the second, showing the crispness and accuracy that helped elevate her to two UFC strawweight championships previously.
“Cold Blooded” entered tonight with the significant advantage in grappling, and that was on display in the third round. Blanchfield was able to get Namajunas to the ground and controlled the action, but the veteran wasn’t going down without a fight.
Blanchfield was able to get her striking going in the fourth round, finding her range and landing her targets with a solid pace. Namajunas, however, battled back and used her pressure and accuracy for a strong final minute.
The #3-ranked contender got the fight back down and controlled the action there in the final stanza, completing the 48-47 decision win on all three judges’ scorecards.
Erin Blanchfield Pulls Off Reverse Sweep Over Rose Namajunas In UFC Edmonton Co-Main Event
The UFC needs to do something about wrestling, Blanchfield literally did nothing. Rose was unharmed but thr verdict is she got dominated. This is nonsense. Wrestling is ruining the sport of MMA #UFCEdmonton
Pathetic performance from Erin Blanchfield. Shes the bigger girl, Rose Namajunas has a 50% takedown defense and she struggles to take her down and then just lays on her and does fk all. What a damn snoozefest. Rose gasses out. Both of these women suck ass. #UFCEdmonton#ufc
Credit to Blanchfield, things were looking pretty hopeless imo after those first 2 rounds. Got a couple key takedowns and really changed this fight. I think Rose just nicked the 4th and the fight, but obviously 48-47 Blanchfield is entirely fair as well.
Namajunas, meanwhile, is now 2-2 since moving up to flyweight after her second strawweight title reign came to an end. She lost to Fiorot last year in Paris but rebounded with wins over Amanda Ribas and Tracy Cortez in 2024.
UFC Fight Night: Brandon Moreno vs. Amir Albazi takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the final faceoffs from the ceremonial weigh-ins!
Setting the stage for them in another 125-pound contest will be Erin Blanchfield and Rose Namajunas. After winning two straight in the division this year, the ex-strawweight queen will look to notch her biggest flyweight success to date and stake her claim for a title shot by adding to the woes of “Cold Blooded,” who was beaten by Manon Fiorot last time out.
Elsewhere, heavyweight knockout artist Derrick Lewis makes the walk for his latest assignment, Mike Malott has the chance to rebound on home soil, and bantamweight veteran Pedro Munhoz adds to his Octagon experience.
Ahead of the event,Ā all 28 fighters successfully made weight. With that, every fight is intact, and all that remains on Friday is for the athletes to face off one final time at the UFC Fight Night Edmonton ceremonial weigh-ins.
UFC Edmonton is almost upon us, and MMA News is here to keep you updated with the current odds for this weekendās lineup.
The upcoming event takes place Saturday, November 2, at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The main card begins at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 4 PM ET/1 PM PT.
Also set to make the walk on Saturday will be the likes of heavyweight knockout artist Derrick Lewis, welterweight prospect Mike Malott, bantamweight veteran Pedro Munhoz, and the always entertaining Charles Jourdain.
UFC Edmonton: Moreno vs. Albazi Betting Odds
Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC Edmonton (as of 10/31), courtesy ofĀ DraftKings.
Erin Blanchfield returns this weekend to try and get back on the right path following a tough result last time out. The #3-ranked flyweight faces Rose Namajunas in the co-main event in Edmonton on Saturday night.
Following a six-fight winning streak inside the Octagon, many had high hopes that Blanchfield’s incredible rise would lead to her fighting for a title. The 25-year old came into her last fight against Manon Fiorot knowing that these were the stakes hanging over the fight.
Her bout against the French striker showed that for how exciting the new contender is right now, she still has some key areas to work on. She was convincingly beaten by Fiorot who won every round on all three of the scorecards.
Though losing any fight is always a difficult moment to overcome, Blanchfield told Shakiel Mahjouri in a recent interview that her mindset helps her to take lessons from these experiences and move forward. She said that approaching these setbacks in the same way that she would when she was competing as a kid helps to put them into perspective.
āI feel like the last time I lost, I went on a huge winning streak like previous to this fight so I know I can, Iāve been training my whole life. Iāve won a lot, Iāve lost a lot as a kid so I feel like Iāve learned how to deal with losses pretty well and really how to grow from them and not like let them stunt you. I think some people kind of get into that rhythm. Itās still a sport at the end of the day and itās still kind of like following that same mindset as like a kid like oh, you just get better, you just keep training and improve so once I was over the initial like sucking of losing, I was definitely ready to go back in the gym.ā
Rose Namajunas looks to make it three in a row this weekend when she returns in the co-main event of the UFC’s visit to Edmonton. The #5-ranked contender will take on one of the flyweight division’s most exciting talents in Erin Blanchfield who holds the #3-spot.
With Blanchfield looking to rebound from the first loss of her UFC career last time out and Namajunas coming off of wins over Amanda Ribas and Tracy Cortez, there are big stakes here but not for anything that “Thug” Rose believes will happen in the near future.
On her flyweight debut in September last year, the former two-time strawweight champion was beaten by Manon Fiorot who then went on to dominate Blanchfield this past March. Despite her seven-fight win streak against some of the top names in the division, the French fighter is still yet to receive her title shot.
That’s due to the trilogy of fights between Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko that recently wrapped up at UFC 306 where Shevchenko regained the top spot. In a recent interview with CBS Sports’ Shakiel Mahjouri, Namajunas said that even if she beats Blanchfield in impressive fashion this Saturday, she feels it would be wrong for her to get a shot at the belt before Fiorot.
āI would still feel even with a good performance, well we could cross that bridge when get to it, but I feel like Iād still feel bad for some reason if I jumped her but you know, thatās just kind of, I donāt know. I am a person of integrity so I do feel like she deserves to be next in line. Sheās been kind of waiting and although I do know that like I donāt know where her head is at, if sheās like saying no to offers than thatās not a thing to do either. Like if the UFC wants her to fight again then she should do that but ultimately, the UFC is kind of the judge of that and itās up to me to have a really good performance as well to make that case.āĀ Ā
