On just one week’s notice, Jessica Andrade has stepped in for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night main event against rising women’s flyweight prospect Erin Blanchfield (ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET main card, prelims at 4 p.m.).
Andrade (24-9), a former strawweight champion and one-time flyweight title challenger, is replacing Taila Santos and is looking to work her way back up to another shot at reigning champion Valentina Shevchenko. Andrade lost to Shevchenko at UFC 261 in April 2021.
Blanchfield (10-1) is undefeated in her four Octagon appearances, and her past two wins came via submission over JJ Aldrich and Molly McCann, respectively. While this is yet another striker vs. grappler matchup, fans should be prepared for fireworks as both fighters bring energy and natural finishing ability.
Former UFC women’s featherweight title challenger and current ESPN MMA analyst Megan Anderson breaks down what makes both of these fighters so dangerous and what fans should watch for in this weekend’s main event.
The matchup
This fight is so exciting. It pits Andrade, a pillar in the women’s UFC community, against one of the fastest-rising prospects in the division. No doubt, this will be a big test for Blanchfield.
Blanchfeild, who is not yet ranked in ESPN’s divisional rankings, was initially set to face…
