NEW YORK – Erin Blanchfield hopes Molly McCann isn’t underestimating her.
McCann has a lot of hype surrounding her after scoring consecutive spinning back elbow knockouts in her two previous fights. From her friendship with star Paddy Pimblett, to a sponsorship deal with Barstool Sports, and a Rolex gifted to her by Drake, McCann has risen to UFC stardom.
But Blanchfield, who has looked like a serious contender in her three octagon appearances, isn’t fazed by all the attention McCann has been getting. The pair will square off in Saturday’s UFC 281 event at Madison Square Garden.
“I think it would be silly of her to overlook me,” Blanchfield told reporters, including MMA Junkie, at media day. “I’m ranked ahead of her. I know I’m younger, and she has a couple more fights than me, but I don’t really care what she’s thinking. I know what I’ve done, and I know what I can do when I get in there.”
That doesn’t mean Blanchfield is taking McCann lightly. She praised the Liverpool native for her toughness but is confident she has the edge over her in all areas.
“She’s definitely primarily a striker, but I’ve watched a bunch of her fights, and she’s definitely not scared to go for takedowns and work on the ground,” Blanchfield said. “I think I’m far superior there, and I think I’m just better overall everywhere. She’s a fighter, and she’s willing to fight anywhere, and she doesn’t give up, so I’m not gonna totally downplay that.”
UFC 281 takes place Saturday at Madison Square Garden. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and early prelims on ESPN+.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 281.
Erin Blanchfield says ‘it would be silly’ of Molly McCann to overlook her at UFC 281
