The women’s flyweight division will have a new No. 1 contender this weekend. MMA’s best young prospect, Erin Blanchfield, will face fellow title contender Manon Fiorot in the main event at UFC Fight Night on Saturday (10 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+).
Blanchfield, No. 1 on ESPN’s 2023 25 under 25 list, could earn a title opportunity against champion Alexa Grasso and become the youngest champion in UFC history if she can get past Fiorot. Blanchfield is ESPN’s No. 4-ranked flyweight.
Fiorot, who is 5-foot-7, often has a height and reach advantage over her opponents, and she is an excellent striker still looking for her first shot at UFC gold. Like Blanchfield, Fiorot is also undefeated inside the Octagon. Fiorot is No. 3 in ESPN’s flyweight rankings.
While this fight has enormous implications for the division, the winner may have to wait for their title shot, as Grasso is expected to face Valentina Shevchenko in a trilogy bout after coaching on the upcoming season of “The Ultimate Fighter.”
What makes both fighters special? What are their potential weaknesses? Let’s take a look at how this high-stakes fight might play out.
