FLYWEIGHT FRACAS!
Final Preventing Championship (UFC) is simply at some point away from the upcoming UFC Atlantic Metropolis combined martial arts (MMA) occasion, set to go down tomorrow evening (Sat., March 30, 2024) on ESPN and ESPN+ from inside Boardwalk Corridor in Atlantic Metropolis, New Jersey. UFC Atlantic Metropolis will characteristic a 125-pound fundamental occasion pitting Prime 5 flyweight contender Erin Blanchfield towards French phenom Manon Fiorot, a five-round headliner with main title implications for late 2024 and past.
The winner is anticipated to face both Amanda Grasso or Valentina Shevchenko, relying on what occurs of their flyweight championship trilogy.
Earlier than we dive into the primary and co-main occasion, which incorporates the 170-pound scrap between welterweight warriors Vicente Luque and Joaquin Buckley, checkout Patrick Stumberg’s breakdowns for the UFC Atlantic Metropolis “Prelims” card by clicking right here and right here. Get all the most recent “Blanchfield vs. Fiorot” odds and betting props courtesy of DraftKings proper right here. For the remainder of tomorrow evening’s UFC Atlantic Metropolis fundamental card predictions click on right here.
125 lbs.: Erin Blanchfield vs. Manon Fiorot
Erin “Chilly Blooded” Blanchfield
Document: 12-1 | Age: 24 | Betting line: -200Wins: 2 KO/TKO, 4 SUB, 6 DEC | Losses: 0 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 1 DECHeight: 5’4“ | Attain: 66” | Stance: OrthodoxSignificant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 5.58 | Hanging accuracy: 52percentStrikes Absorbed Per Minute: 3.32 | Hanging Protection: 62percentTakedown Common: 2.86 (36% accuracy) | Takedown Protection: 83percentCurrent Rating: No. 2 | Final combat: Unanimous choice win over Taila Santos
Manon “The Beast” Fiorot
Document: 11-1 | Age: 34 | Betting line: +165Wins: 6 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 5 DEC | Losses: 0 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 1 DECHeight: 5’7“ | Attain: 65” | Stance: OrthodoxSignificant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 6.05 | Hanging accuracy: 39percentStrikes Absorbed Per Minute: 3.31 | Hanging Protection: 69percentTakedown Common: 1.36 (46% accuracy) | Takedown Protection: 91percentCurrent Rating: No. 3 | Final combat: Unanimous choice win over Rose Namajunas
UFC flyweight up-and-comer Erin Blanchfield is at the moment sitting within the No. 2 spot at 125 kilos and for good purpose. The “Chilly Blooded” contender is an ideal 6-0 with three nasty finishes, placing the damage on some very robust competitors together with Jessica Andrade and Taila Santos, amongst others. Not unhealthy for a fighter who has but to succeed in her twenty fifth birthday and you may argue that Blanchfield has but to succeed in her aggressive prime. The New Jersey native is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu underneath Karel Pravec and averages 2.86 takedowns per combat, which features a submission try price of 1.2 for each quarter-hour of motion. Contemplating the muse of her offense, it might be shocking to be taught that her putting statistics aren’t that far off from that of her opponent — in each instructions.
“I don’t know (if she’s my hardest take a look at),” Blanchfield stated on the UFC Atlantic Metropolis media day. “Each combat is clearly tremendous robust. Everybody within the high 5 is tremendous robust. We’ve each beat former champions. My final combat was with Taila Santos who some folks thought beat Valentina (Shevchenko). We’ve each had robust fights. I believe my highway’s been a bit of bit harder. Our data are very related. She’s lengthy and rangy. I’ve had months to strategize for that and I really feel tremendous ready for this combat and I’m excited to indicate it off on Saturday.”
Manon Fiorot made a spectacular debut at UFC Combat Island 8, popping and stopping Victoria Leonardo earlier than transferring on to wallop Tabatha Ricci in her sophomore effort. Within the three years that adopted, “The Beast” appeared to lose a few of her killer intuition, rattling off 4 consecutive choices in largely forgettable affairs. It’s also possible to argue that her competitors was far harder than the Leonardos of the world, making it a lot tougher (or far much less interesting) to go for broke. Both means, Fiorot appears content material to strike from vary and rack up the mandatory factors for a sweep on the judges’ scorecards. I don’t know if that technique might be sufficient for a gamer like Blanchfield, who won’t be simply out-muscled.
“I believe it is going to be a distinction of two totally different combating kinds,” Fiorot stated on the UFC Atlantic Metropolis media day. “I do know what she is going to do: Keep near me, attempt to take me to the ground. I’m ready and prepared. I’ve no concern, and I do know that I can handle each conditions. Clearly I already deserved two instances the title shot, however that’s how life goes. Generally there’s accidents and different issues. So, after all, I imagine the following combat might be for the title, and I do know they must make the trilogy (first), so I’ll wait no downside. The following one is the title.”
This can be a difficult combat for a few causes, with the distinction of kinds being proper on the high. I can simply envision a situation the place a annoyed Blanchfield spends 25 minutes chasing a takedown that received’t come as “The Beast” performs matador. I can simply as simply see Fiorot open with two sturdy rounds, then run out of fuel and get turned inside out by her youthful foe. 34 years-old versus 24 years-old is a big distinction once we’re speaking about high-intensity fight and I believe which may be the tipping level. Assuming she doesn’t get chinned with an overzealous offense to open the bout, I anticipate Blanchfield to slowly (however absolutely) put on down her opponent, climate a number of flurries, and submit an exhausted Fiorot late within the combat.
Prediction: Blanchfield def. Fiorot by submission
170 lbs.: Vicente Luque vs. Joaquin Buckley
Vicente “Silent Murderer” Luque
Document: 22-9-1 | Age: 32 | Betting line: -120Wins: 11 KO/TKO, 8 SUB, 3 DEC | Losses: 1 KO/TKO, 2 SUB, 6 DECHeight: 5’11“ | Attain: 75” | Stance: OrthodoxSignificant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 5.17 | Hanging accuracy: 52percentStrikes Absorbed Per Minute: 5.15 | Hanging Protection: 52percentTakedown Common: 1.04 (60% accuracy) | Takedown Protection: 62percentCurrent Rating: No. 11 | Final combat: Unanimous choice win over Rafael dos Anjos
Joaquin “New Mansa” Buckley
Document: 17-6 | Age: 29 | Betting line: -105Wins: 12 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 5 DEC | Losses: 4 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 2 DECHeight: 5’10“ | Attain: 76” | Stance: SouthpawSignificant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 3.87 | Hanging accuracy: 33percentStrikes Absorbed Per Minute: 3.31 | Hanging Protection: 57percentTakedown Common: 1.51 (36% accuracy) | Takedown Protection: 55percentCurrent Rating: Unranked | Final combat: Unanimous choice win over Alex Morono
Vicente Luque has been one of the vital thrilling fighters to look at during the last 9 years, racking up an unimaginable eight post-fight efficiency bonuses, together with 4 “Combat of the Evening” honors. Sadly, it’s true what they are saying about dwelling and dying by the sword. After a torrid 10-1 run by way of the welterweight division, the Brazilian dropped two straight, along with his knockout loss to Geoff Neal inflicting a mind hemorrhage — and subsequent one-year medical suspension. Upon his return, “The Silent Murderer” was in a position to grind out a choice win over former light-weight champion Rafael dos Anjos, an unsightly and unimpressive efficiency when you think about “RDA” has been taken down practically 70 instances in his UFC profession.
Not surprisingly, Dos Anjos solely managed 66 vital strikes throughout 5 rounds of competitors. I’m making a giant deal out of that combat as a result of it didn’t actually inform us a lot about the place Luque stands post-brain bleed. When you have a look at his stats, he will get blasted with simply as many blows as he dishes out, which might be the quickest method to shorten a profession. Within the outdated days he might eat that harm and march ahead to impose his will. I’m unsure that’s a sensible choice at age 32 with over 1,000 vital strikes absorbed.
“I’ve been in that place earlier than, like in Buckley’s place,” Luque stated on the UFC Atlantic Metropolis media day. “I’ve been the man exterior the rankings that folks had been involved about as a result of we’re good, we’re harmful. Preventing is at all times threat, however I really feel the extra threat I take, the extra reward I’m going to get from that. That’s how I have a look at this combat. Yeah, he’s not ranked, and he’s harmful, however I’m harmful as effectively, and I’ll give him the chance to attempt to are available in and beat me. I’ve a mode that folks love to look at, so on the finish of the day it’s a combat that persons are going to look at and are going to be supporting. I can showcase my abilities and my work my means up within the division.”
Joaquin Buckley has but to crack the Prime 15 at 170 kilos however did have his quarter-hour of fame again in late 2020, starching PFL champion Impa Kasanganay with a thunderous spinning again kick knockout. Sadly for “New Mansa,” his largest adversary has been consistency, evidenced by his 7-4 file courting again to a technical knockout loss to Kevin Holland at UFC Combat Island 5. The 29 year-old Buckley appears to have lastly discovered his rhythm after dropping down from 185 kilos and he’s now the winner of two straight, smashing Andre Fialho at UFC Vegas 73 earlier than shutting down the artful Alex Morono at UFC Vegas 80. Buckley is a stable wrestler however has but to attain a submission victory in 23 skilled fights, so the takedowns don’t actually serve a lot function — except for racking up factors from the judges. His largest weapon heading into UFC Atlantic Metropolis might be his pace, although getting shut sufficient to make use of it might additionally backfire.
“Now that I’m getting a combat that I requested for, it’s a ravishing state of affairs,” Buckley stated on the UFC Atlantic Metropolis media day. “I’m appreciative of Vicente Luque truly taking over the problem. As a result of on the finish of the day, regardless of if I need to combat him or if the UFC desires to guide it, the opponent of mine has to take the combat and I’m simply appreciative of Vicente Luque taking this combat. The most important factor is I do know what place it’s going to place me in so far as the standing of the UFC. It places me within the rankings and get placed on path to turn out to be a world champion. I really feel like I can accomplish that way more with my profession as a fighter and may come house to St. Louis and placed on.”
I believe the Luque of 2020 runs by way of this model of Buckley, very similar to he did towards Randy Brown at UFC Vegas 5. That stated, it’s 2024 and I don’t have an amazing quantity of confidence within the Brazilian’s capacity to maintain harm. Possibly I’m overreacting or falling by the wayside too quickly, it’s doable, I simply suppose “The Silent Murderer” will depend on what acquired him to the dance — solely to get overwhelmed to the punch (actually) by the youthful, quicker Buckley.
Prediction: Buckley def. Luque by knockout
Don’t neglect to take a look at the remainder of the UFC Atlantic Metropolis fundamental card predictions RIGHT HERE.
MMAmania.com will ship LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow protection of all the UFC Atlantic Metropolis combat card RIGHT HERE, beginning with the ESPN2/ESPN+ preliminary card bouts at 7 p.m. ET, adopted by the ESPN/ESPN+ fundamental card begin time at 10 p.m. ET.
To take a look at the most recent and best UFC Atlantic Metropolis information and notes remember to hit up our complete occasion archives right here and right here. For the up to date and finalized “Blanchfield vs. Fiorot” combat card and ESPN/ESPN+ line up click on right here.
