Erin Blanchfield shares thoughts on first UFC loss, wants Rose Namajunas fight next: "I think that makes perfect sense"
Erin Blanchfield has shed light on how she's dealing with her first UFC defeat. Additionally, 'Cold Blooded' named former UFC women's strawweight champion and current UFC flyweight contender 'Thug' Rose Namajunas as a potential next opponent.
Blanchfield (12-2 MMA) was first beaten by Tracy Cortez via split decision at Invicta FC 34 (Feb. 2019). She then amassed a nine-fight win streak, including six consecutive wins under the UFC banner. The American was unbeaten in the UFC until a unanimous decision defeat against France's Manon Fiorot at UFC Atlantic City (March 2024).
Speaking to MMA Junkie, Blanchfield recently asserted that she's eyeing a return to the octagon in the fall, which would mean the October-November-December timeframe in the US. The 25-year-old's next fight hasn't been finalized yet, but she indicated that Namajunas or another top-five-ranked opponent would be an ideal matchup for her:
"I would like to fight someone like Rose, someone else that's like in the top five. But yeah, just haven't heard anything yet, officially."
Blanchfield explained that losing is always strange, particularly when you aren't used to it. She alluded to being incredibly competitive and as someone who loves what she does, which makes defeat even tougher to handle. Nevertheless, the grappling savant implied that she learned from the Fiorot loss.
Apparently, Blanchfield isn't crestfallen because she believes she did many good things in the fight and wasn't dominantly stopped right away. Harking back to how she overcame losses in her younger years, Blanchfield said:
"I've lost plenty before. It just hasn't been that often. It has been a couple years since I lost last time. But I've just got to keep that same attitude I had when I was a kid; just keep going."
Check out Erin Blanchfield's comments below (1:00-1:30 and 3:44-5:10):
Erin Blanchfield would prefer facing Rose Namajunas rather than fighting other lower-ranked opponents
Presently, Erin Blanchfield holds the No.3 position in the official UFC women's flyweight rankings. In contrast, Rose Namajunas stands at No.5. The No.14-ranked Jasmine Jasudavicius defeated Blanchfield's teammate Fatima Kline via unanimous decision at UFC Denver (July 13, 2024), an event headlined by Namajunas' unanimous decision win over Tracy Cortez.
Jasudavicius called Blanchfield out, but the latter has asserted that she's uninterested in fighting opponents who are ranked way below her. Regardless, 'Cold Blooded' is open to facing Namajunas, who's ranked below her but is within the top five.
Blanchfield explained that she's been working on some things after her recent defeat, adding that she'd study Namajunas' fights and that she and her team would formulate a different strategy against 'Thug'. She signaled that she'd like to return at UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden in November.
Blanchfield seemingly feels that a win over Namajunas could catapult her into the UFC women's flyweight title picture. She deemed 'Thug' a good fighter and as an opponent whom she can test her skills against and evolve. The New Jersey-born combatant further insinuated that Namajunas, who's moved up from strawweight, would be at a size disadvantage against her. The flyweight contender stated:
"I mean, she's a former champ. That could easily be a main event of a Fight Night. I think that makes perfect sense." [6:29-minute mark; H/T MMA Junkie for quotes]