Erin Blanchfield believes Maycee Barber will never be a UFC champion, talks about getting emotional after UFC Fight Night win
![Maycee Barber (bottom left), Erin Blanchfield (top left), Blanchfield vs. JJ Aldrich (right) [Images via Getty and @blanchfield_mma on Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2022/06/30f02-16548652807592-1920.jpg?w=500)
James Lynch caught up with Erin Blanchfield for an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda MMA and fleshed out the latest and most happening bits in the women’s flyweight division of the UFC. The interview was packed with loads of insight regarding Blanchfield's take on the top contenders in the division, especially her potential future opponent Maycee Barber.
Erin 'Cold Blooded' Blanchfield is an American mixed martial artist currently competing in the women’s flyweight division. With a dominant style in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Blanchfield holds an impressive fight record of nine wins and a solitary loss in a 10-fight career. She is also a former champion of the Eddie Bravo International grappling competition and is ranked No.15 in the women’s 125lbs division.
Blanchfield is coming off an impressive win against JJ Aldrich at UFC Vegas 56.
Read through the best bits of the interview and view the timestamps below.
Watch Erin Blanchfield's interview with James Lynch here:
Q: I’d imagine that great, probably even better than that, because that was a really impressive stoppage win.
I wanted to actually start there, what’s the feedback been from this win specifically?
Because whenever you get a finish, people are talking about it, I saw you on The MMA Hour.
Like, you’re getting a lot of attention after this fight, how is that?
A: Oh yeah, it’s definitely been good. I mean, I feel like I talked about that a lot too. I wanted to get a finish in the UFC.
So, that was nice, to be actually able to go out there and do it. So, I’m definitely getting a lot of good media from It.
Q: Yeah and it was something that you said that you practiced in camp, as far as the move goes.
You saw an opening [and] you went for it, so you get the finish. I saw after the fight you get a little emotional.
I mean, who wouldn’t be? It was a huge win. What was going through your head at that moment? Was it kind of like, “Finally, I get the finish” or what was going through your head?
A: I think it was definitely getting that finish that I’ve wanted for a while. And I think it was like dropping that first round and then coming back and getting a finish in the second round.
I think it was a big thing, because like, I feel like I was able to stay calm, like, during the fight, even though I lost that first round.
But obviously, once you get that finish, you don’t have to worry about it [decision] going to the judges or anything like that, like the relief of that.
And getting that finish was kind of why I kind of was emotional like that.
Q: So we know you want the winner of Jessica Eye and Maycee Barber, of course you were linked to a fight with Maycee.
It didn’t end up happening, so totally, I understood the call right away, that’s something you wanted.
I was curious, how [do] you think that fight plays out? It's taking place on July 2nd, who do you see edging it out between Maycee and Jessica?
A: You know, they asked me right after my fight as well. Honestly, I’m not a 100% sure, I could see either girl winning.
I feel like stylistically they’re pretty similar, they kind of like to go out there and kind of bang it out I think.
I think it’s mostly going to be a striking fight, and I can see either girl winning, that’s why I said I just want the winner of the fight.
I don’t care exactly who it is.
Q: Yeah, and then Maycee has a youth advantage, obviously she looked great in her last fight against Montana De La Rosa.
If she was to win, how do you look at a fight with Maycee? Because again age-wise you’re pretty similar.
I want to say you have a few more fights than she does or the other way around. How do you look at that fight?
Because that’s really interesting, with how close you guys are in age.
A: Yeah, I think that’s a fight, because after they called [UFC] everyone said they wanted to see me fight Maycee.
So, I think it’s a fight I would really want to see. But I feel like that’d be a great fight too, she’s somewhat like Jessica.
She just kind of like, goes in there, she wants to like, tries to knock you out. I mean her wrestling has definitely gotten a little better.
I’ve seen her last few fights, but I don’t think it’ll be like anything to be like too worried about, especially like with my ground game.
I don’t think it’s something she’ll want to utilize too much, but yeah I think either fight would be a great fight.
Q: There you go, and then some people criticized Maycee for the way she maybe handled that loss against Roxanne Modafferi.
Yeah, I mean, she said she wanted to be the youngest champion, you’ve been a bit more subtle about that, in terms of what you want to achieve in the sport.
What do you make of the personality side of Maycee, because some people feel like she’s been over overconfident.
Some people feel like, “Hey you’ve got to promote yourself." Where do you stand on that?
A: Yeah, you know, I mean I kind of agree, you do have to promote yourself you know, I mean I think.
Having that goal, being the youngest champion, is pretty ambitious, especially now. I feel like I think everybody in the sport has gotten so much better in general that it’s so hard to beat that record, [at] like 23 and eight months or so. It’s almost like, going to be impossible I think.
It’s because everyone has gotten so much better, that it’s going to be so hard for somebody so young to be at that level.
Q: If that fight was to happen, and again we’re just talking hypotheticals here, would you want that to be a main event?
I think with five Fight Night cards, it should be a showcase of the future of the division.
Prime example, you’ve got that Fight Night coming up in a couple of weeks with Arman Tsarukyan and Mateusz Gamrot, two kind of not as well known lightweights, but two really talented fighters. If you have that option, would you take it?
I know you get paid more for five rounds, but still the showcase of that, will you be up for [it]?
A: Yeah, i definitely would be up for that, I feel like my style [and] my cardio, definitely fits a five-round fight.
And yeah, that’s definitely something I’ll be down for.
Timestamps:
Q1: It is great catching up with Erin Blanchfield, especially when she’s coming off an impressive win.
Like she did last Saturday at UFC Vegas 56, getting that stoppage win over JJ Aldrich.
Erin, how’s it going? (0:00)
Q2: I’d imagine that great, probably even better than that, because that was a really impressive stoppage win.
I wanted to actually start there, what’s the feedback been from this win specifically?
Because whenever you get a finish, people are talking about it. I saw you on The MMA Hour.
Like, you’re getting a lot attention after this fight, how is that? (0:12)
Q3: And speaking of attention, you were I think the biggest or one of the biggest betting favorites going into that fight.
Were you aware of that going in? (0:40)
Q4: How do you feel when you see that? Like, does that add a bit more pressure?
Does it feel good knowing “Hey, people are finally recognizing the type of skills that I bring to the table here”?
What was your reaction to seeing it? (1:16)
Q5: As far as the fight itself goes, that first round, I know it was very close, how were you feeling after that first round?
Because I know she [JJ Aldrich] was having a bit more success in the striking department going into that second round. (1:51)
Q6: Yeah and it was something that you said that you practiced in camp, as far as the move goes.
You saw an opening [and] you went for it, so you get the finish. I saw, after the fight you get a little emotional.
I mean, who wouldn’t be? It was a huge win. What was going through your head at that moment? Was it kind of like, “Finally, I get the finish” or what was going through your head? (2:43)
Q7: Which is good, I mean we like seeing that from fighters, which is the true self so to speak.
And again, I know how much you put into camp and it’s like getting an A plus on a test, so it’s always good to get that.
How did you celebrate after the win, because again this one was a little bit different than some of the other ones.
Just because of the fact that you got a big finish, and I know everyone was talking about it, at least on my timeline on Saturday. (3:25)
Q8: So you didn’t go out in Vegas then, because I think the last time we talked, you did go out with some friends or something.
But I guess you just wanted to get home? (4:00)
Q9: Yeah and then I saw [on] Monday in the interview, you were at [the] Jersey Shore, who wouldn’t want to be there [at] this time of the year?
The weather’s great, how was it? How’d you spend the rest of your day there? That was on Monday? (4:20)
Q10: Are you getting to the point now that you’re getting recognized? Did anyone come up to you on the shore, seeing you hanging out there or no? (4:45)
Q11: How do you handle that, because I know even for me, I’ll get recognized, I’m not saying I’m famous or anything.
But the odd time I will get someone saying, “Oh, I love your interviews” and it’s like, I don’t know I get a bit weird.
Because I just forget sometimes that people are watching your stuff. In your case, I mean you’ve [got] a way broader audience.
How do you take that in? Is it awkward? Or do you enjoy it? How do you sort of experience that? (5:15)
Q12: So we know you want the winner of Jessica Eye and Maycee Barber, of course you were linked to a fight with Maycee.
It didn’t end up happening, so totally, I understood the call right away, that’s something you wanted.
I was curious, how [do] you think that fight plays out? It's taking place on July 2nd. Who do you see edging it out between Maycee and Jessica? (5:57)
Q13: Okay well, let’s play hypothetical here. If you were to fight Jessica, let’s say she’s the one who edges this out.
She’s the one with more experience, how do you look at that fight from a style perspective? (6:34)
Q14: Yeah, and then Maycee has a youth advantage, obviously she looked great in her last fight against Montana De La Rosa.
If she was to win, how do you look at a fight with Maycee? Because again age-wise you’re pretty similar.
I want to say you have a few more fights than she does or the other way around. How do you look at that fight?
Because that’s really interesting, with how close you guys are in age. (7:08)
Q15: Did you guys know you’re both born in the same month? (7:55)
Q16: Yeah so I looked this up, and I’m not trying to sound weird about this, but I just happened to notice this because I was looking at both your records.
You guys are born in the same month and she, I think is about 14 days apart from you, because you were born in early May.
And she’s a bit like later May, and then one year apart which is kind of crazy, considering you’re both in the same division.
You’re both similar age right? (8:01)
Q17: There you go, and then some people criticized Maycee for the way she maybe handled that loss against Roxanne Modafferi.
Yeah I mean, she said she wanted to be the youngest champion, you’ve been a bit more subtle about that, in terms of what you want to achieve in the sport.
What do you make of the personality side of Maycee, because some people feel like she’s been over overconfident.
Some people feel like, “Hey you’ve got to promote yourself.” Where do you stand on that? (8:25)
Q18: If that fight was to happen, and again we’re just talking hypotheticals here, would you want that to be a main event?
I think with five Fight Night cards, it should be a showcase of the future of the division.
Prime example, you’ve got that Fight Night coming up in a couple of weeks with Arman Tsarukyan and Mateusz Gamrot, two kind of not as well know lightweights, but two really talented fighters. If you have that option, would you take it?
I know you get paid more for five rounds, but still the showcase of that, will you be up for [it]? (9:53)
Q19: You’ve got a phone call by the way. Is there any sort of ideal timeline for you to come back?
When would you like to have that next fight? (10:28)
Q20: And then, what’s sort of the plan for the rest of the week here? I know again you’re just coming off the win.
Anything interesting planned? Any dinners, or anything cool like for the rest of the week? (10:48)
Q21: I know I’ve always asked you this, and this is something you talk about in the interview with Ariel.
Obviously you’re schooling, you’re training to be a broadcaster like anyone, is there any of those gigs on the horizon?
Because I know that’s something you did last year when we spoke. (11:09)
Q22: Erin [I’m] going to go and let you enjoy the rest of your day here. Thank you so much for doing this.
If there’s anyone you’d like to thank, and any sponsors you want to plug, any social media you want to plug, I’ll give you the last word. (11:36)