Erin Blanchfield was in Denver, watching closely as Rose Namajunas defeated Tracy Cortez. The sight of Namajunas’ victory sparked Blanchfield’s eagerness to return to the octagon. It had been over three months since her first UFC loss, a unanimous decision defeat to Manon Fiorot in New Jersey, and the loss was a significant event in her career.
Blanchfield is accustomed to winning and has to revisit her approach to defeat, drawing from past experiences to process the loss. While it was a tough experience, she noted that it was part of being a competitive fighter. She acknowledged that the defeat was a learning opportunity, emphasizing that there were positive aspects in her performance despite the loss.
Since her defeat, several fighters have shown interest in facing Blanchfield, including Maycee Barber, Karine Silva, and Jasmine Jasudavicius. Jasudavicius even called out Blanchfield after her recent fight. However, Blanchfield is not keen on taking a fight against someone lower in the rankings like Jasudavicius unless necessary.
Blanchfield’s preferred next opponent is Rose Namajunas. She views Namajunas as a high-caliber fighter and believes that a match against her would be an excellent test of her skills. Blanchfield is confident that she can use the experience to address her past fight’s shortcomings and develop a tailored game plan for Namajunas.
Blanchfield is eyeing a fight in the fall, possibly at Madison Square Garden where she previously fought and won. Despite the high taxes in New York, she is enthusiastic about fighting in such an iconic venue and the opportunity to have her family and friends in attendance. She hopes to repeat her success at MSG this November.
