PARIS – Manon Fiorot is confident she’ll leapfrog Erin Blanchfield with a win at UFC Fight Night 226.
Fiorot (10-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) takes on two-time UFC strawweight champion Namajunas (11-5 MMA, 9-4 UFC) in a flyweight bout in Saturday’s co-main event at Accor Arena in Paris. The event streams on ESPN+.
Blanchfield (12-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) is coming off a unanimous decision win over former title challenger Taila Santos this past Saturday at UFC Fight Night 225 in Singapore. After watching that fight, Fiorot was even more assured that an impressive win over Namajunas makes her No. 1 contender.
“I’m 100 percent sure that if I put on a good performance in this fight, considering the performance we’ve seen from Santos and Blanchfield, I’m going to be fighting for the belt,” Fiorot said through an interpreter during Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 226 media day. “I’m 100 percent convinced by that.”
Fiorot is not sold on Blanchfield’s resume, and doesn’t think it warrants a title shot over her.
“I wasn’t impressed at all, actually, because until this point, she never really fought against an opponent at a high level,” Fiorot said. “I think this fight showed her real level, and so I wasn’t really that impressed, no.”
Fiorot got her wish in welcoming Namajunas to flyweight, and sees her as the perfect challenge in her pursuit to gold.
“I think Rose is one of the best fighters we’ve seen,” Fiorot said. “She’s an incredible fighter. I personally put her in the top five in the rankings. She’s a former champion, as well. It’s a massive test for me, as well, before I want to go and get that fight for the belt.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 226.
