Erin Blanchfield has yet to lose in the UFC. After turning in a devastating win over Jessica Andrade, one would wonder if anyone can stop the 23-year-old as she marches towards a title shot.
Though Blanchfield was facing a former champion in Andrade, she held her own and wore her opponent down. It wasn’t easy, especially as Andrade dictated the action from the start. While Andrade looked to overwhelm Blanchfield with a volley of strikes, Blanchfield fired back while biding her time for a takedown.
Even though Andrade was winning the striking contest, Blanchfield managed to land some shots of her own. Her inability to take Andrade down didn’t discern her, and her chin held up against one of the best strikers at flyweight. Eventually, the tide turned into her favor after a rocky opening
In the second round, Blanchfield found daylight and took Andrade down successfully. As she mauled her on the canvas, she locked her into a tight rear-naked choke and scored the submission at 1:37 minutes in the second round.
Blanchfield looked impressive, and she is aiming to challenge the winner of champion Valentina Shevchenko vs. Alexa Grasso after their UFC 285 bout.
Blanchfield is a serious contender
The win moves Blanchfield to 11-1 overall and a perfect 5-0 in the UFC. Andrade saw her three-fight winning streak come to an end, dropping her record to 24-10.
Blanchfield is marching her way towards a title shot, and she will be impossible to ignore after such a scintillating performance. With Shevchenko looking as vulnerable as she’s ever been, Blanchfield could be a tough match for her.
If she can’t get Shevchenko, especially if Shevchenko finally secures a third fight with Amanda Nunes, then she should face Talia Santos for an interim title. Santos was originally scheduled for the event, but fell out due to Visa issues.
Either way, Blanchfield is a main stage player. She’s got a lot in the tank, and she may be the face of the next generation of great female MMA stars.
