Erin Blanchfield has already decided what Saturday’s fight is for. Speaking to MMA Junkie on Monday ahead of UFC Fight Night 291 in Edmonton, the flyweight contender said a win over Jasmine Jasudavicius puts her first in line for the belt.
“I think this makes me and Jasmine a No. 1 contender fight,” Blanchfield said. “Me winning Saturday puts me right in that position.”
The two meet in the co-main event at Rogers Place. Blanchfield (14-2 MMA, 8-1 UFC) hasn’t fought in 11 months, and the division she left looks different now. Valentina Shevchenko vacated the title after an injury kept her out long enough that she had to give it up, and Natalia Silva is the champion. Blanchfield admitted she never saw that coming from someone who had been such a dominant titleholder.
View post on X
She also seemed relieved the UFC skipped the placeholder belt routine. “There’s no wishy-washy interim in Valentina maybe coming back soon,” she said. “It’s kind of solidified and the whole division can move forward.”
She’s right, and I’ll take that over a temporary strap any day of the week.
Blanchfield’s read on the timeline goes like this. Shevchenko has said she’ll be out at least a year or so, Silva has said she wants to be an active champ, and that leaves the contenders to sort out who goes first. Blanchfield is on a two-fight win streak, and Saturday would make it three.
The wrestling problem
Jasudavicius (15-4 MMA, 9-3 UFC) comes in off an April win over Karine Silva, and Blanchfield says she brings something nobody in the UFC has shown her yet.
“She’s a heavy wrestler,” Blanchfield said. “I don’t think I’ve fought really anyone who’s wanted to grapple me back. Even if they have, it’s basically because I forced it first.”
That’s a striking admission from a fighter who’s been in the UFC since late 2021 and has built her name on getting fights to the mat. Her opponents usually spend the night trying to keep it standing. This one apparently wants the clinch.
Blanchfield also gave Jasudavicius credit for her speed, her footwork and knowing how to win, and called her someone who can be tricky. She said she’s looking forward to the grappling exchanges and thinks they’ll make for an exciting fight.
The fight is a good piece of matchmaking. Two flyweights who both want to grapple, with the winner getting an argument for a title shot against a champion who says she wants to stay busy. Blanchfield answered every question straight, which I always appreciate, and she put her own price on the fight before anyone at the UFC did. If she beats a wrestler at wrestling on Saturday in Edmonton, the UFC is going to have a hard time telling her she has to wait.
