Former two-time strawweight champion Rose Namajunas picked up her first win as a flyweight at UFC on Vegas 89 on March 23. She headlined the event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas against eighth-ranked Amanda Ribas.
Namajunas defeated Ribas via unanimous decision and debuted in the Top 10 women’s flyweight rankings. It was her second bout in the 125-pound weight class. She made her flyweight debut against Manon Fiorot last December and lost by decision.
Namajunas made the move up a weight class after losing the strawweight title to Carla Esparza in a rematch at UFC 274. Second-ranked flyweight contender Erin Blanchfield believes Namajunas is a better as a strawweight.
“I think she’s better at 115,” Blanchfield told The MMA Hour. “I think just moving up a weight class ten pounds like 115 to 125, it’s a big percentage of your body weight especially when you’re that small.
“She won against Ribas, but Ribas is also someone who’s fought at 115. She’s not that big of a girl,” Blanchfield continued. “She had the one fight against Manon and she lost that. I think she’s a great fighter. I think he’s got a lot of skill, but I think she’s going to be a little outsized at 125.”
Blanchfield (12-1) headlines this weekend’s UFC on ESPN event in Atlantic City against Manon Fiorot (11-1). Blanchfield is ranked second in the flyweight division while Fiorot is ranked third. It’s a battle of the winning streaks. Fiorot will enter the match riding an 11-fight winning streak while Blanchfield has won her last nine bouts.
https://www.mmaweekly.com/news/erin-blanchfield-rose-namajunas-is-better-at-115-pounds
