What’s Next For Erin Blanchfield?
UFC Atlantic City blew the roof off Boardwalk Hall last Saturday night (March 30, 2024) in Atlantic City, N.J., leaving plenty of fighters feeling the post-fight blues. Among them was Vicente Luque, who was knocked out by Joaquin Buckley in the co-main event (see it again here).
And Herbert Burns, who suffered his third straight loss after getting stopped by Julio Arce via second round technical knockout. But, which fighter is suffering from the worst post-fight hangover, now a few days removed from the show?
Coming into her second headlining gig, Blanchfield was on the cusp of earning her first-ever UFC world title fight. After all, “Cold Blooded” had won nine in a row, including her first six fights under the UFC banner. Unfortunately for the talented Flyweight, things simply didn’t pan out the way she would have liked.
For five rounds, Fiorot dictated the pace of the fight, used her reach and pretty much all her tools to earn a clean sweep on the judges scorecards. Throughout her first six fights inside the Octagon, Blanchfield was the bully, the aggressor who imposed her will on her foes in all of her contests.
Against Fiorot, however, she met her superior.
It’s a tough loss for “Cold Blooded,” who will now lose her No. 2 ranking and her title shot … for now. Following her first setback inside the Octagon and first in last five years, Blanchfield issued a short statement.
“Rough night. I’ll be back better,” she wrote on her Instagram account. Short, sweet and to the point.
As far as what could realistically be next for “Cold Blooded,” it would have been a good idea to put her up against the loser of Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko, but I do not see Blanchfield waiting that long for a fight that doesn’t come with potentially winning a belt. There is always Rose Namajunas, but “Thug Rose” is looking for a Maycee Barber showdown, or a rematch against Fiorot.
That leaves perhaps the only viable option who Blanchfield could secure, which is a battle against Katlyn Cerminara, who has lost her previous two fights against Fiorot and Barber. Cerminara is a former title contender and her experience can be an issue for the rising 24-year-old contender.
For Blanchfield, getting a win over a long-time veteran like Cerminara would be a good way to bounce back and prevent her from falling further down the ladder. She has a lot of room for improvement, and a fight against “Blonde Fighter” would definitely be a good measuring stick.
For complete Atlantic City results, coverage and highlights, click HERE.
https://www.mmamania.com/2024/4/1/24117629/erin-blanchfield-statement-maron-fiorot-loss-ufc-atlantic-city-espn-mma
