The time has finally come for the UFC Atlantic City Main Event and we'll be bringing you our betting prediction and pick for this headlining bout. Ranked contenders atop the Flyweight Division will meet as hometown No. 2-ranked Erin Blanchfield will take on France's No. 3-ranked Manon Fiorot. Check out our UFC odds series for our Blanchfield-Fiorot prediction and pick.
Erin Blanchfield (12-1) comes into this fight with a spotless 6-0 record since 2021. Time and time again, she's been able to prove herself as she continues to run through the division. A win over Fiorot would make her undeniable for next-in-line to a title shot and she'll be able to do it in front of her hometown fans. Blanchfield stands 5'4″ with a 66-inch reach.
Manon Fiorot (11-1) is also perfect in the UFC at 6-0 since 2021. She's notched four consecutive unanimous decision victories and her last win over former Champion Rose Namajunas cemented her as a worthy title contender. She'll have one more hurdle in Erin Blanchfield to exact her path to the title. Fiorot stands 5'7″ with a 65-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of BetOnline.
UFC Atlantic City Odds: Erin Blanchfield-Manon Fiorot Odds
Erin Blanchfield: -200
Manon Fiorot: +170
Over 4.5 rounds: +103
Under 4.5 rounds: -133
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Why Erin Blanchfield Will Win
Erin Blanchfield will have the massive advantage of calling New Jersey home and fighting in front of a crowd that's been riding with her since day one. She started martial arts as a toddler and has grown up in the area, keeping all of her training camps close to home. She's been focused on UFC gold since joining the promotion and she has a chance to fight for the title shortly after turning 25 next week. She's been doubted the whole way, but she can't seem to stop proving critics wrong with each passing fight.
The obvious gap for Blanchfield here will be the striking. Manon Fiorot is a world champion kickboxer and she'll be throwing feints all fight to set something up with her strikes. Blanchfield has displayed a tremendous chin through this point and she has the ability to walk through strikes and force the takedown. Her clearest path to victory will be finding the takedown and finishing this fight from top position.
Why Manon Fiorot Will Win
Manon Fiorot put together incredibly efficient striking performances against top contenders like Jennifer Maia and Katlyn Cerminara. A multi-time world kickboxing champion, Fiorot is clearly levels above the division when it comes to her striking game. She doesn't waste any movements and she's constantly defending herself with a strong boxing guard. She's very precise with her striking as well and will be heat-seeking Blanchfield's chin throughout this whole fight. We've seen her take some time early-on in fights to read her opponents, but she may not have the time to do so during this fight.
Fiorot set herself apart in the Rose Namajunas fight and while Namajunas didn't really force the grappling all too much, it was clearly tough for her to close any kind of distance on Fiorot. If she can control the distance similarly here and prevent Blanchfield from getting her hands around her, she should be able to strike her way to a decision win.
Final Erin Blanchfield-Manon Fiorot Prediction & Pick
This fight has all the makings of a classic and we'll be seeing two differing styles at the very tops of their game. Erin Blanchfield has been destructive with her grappling and she makes opponents look helpless when she's advancing position and finding submissions. Manon Fiorot makes opponents look foolish when standing and boxing with her, so she'll be looking to prove she's the best female striker on the planet.
It will be very interesting to see who's able to impose their will during this fight. Erin Blanchfield will have the advantage in being able to close the distance and tie Fiorot up on the feet. However, if Fiorot can stay in motion and keep this fight in striking range, we should see her inflicting the more damaging shots.
All in all, I think this is a very tight matchup and should be tighter on the betting lines. If Fiorot has been working on her takedown defense, she could dominate this fight with her strength and piece Blanchfield up on the feet.
However, Erin Blanchfield is completely determined in everything she does and I don't see a scenario in which she doesn't land a single takedown. The discrepancy on the ground is too great and while Fiorot has been able to keep herself out of bad spots, she'll be treading very deep waters if she finds herself underneath Erin Blanchfield. For our prediction, let's roll with Erin Blanchfield to finish this fight inside of the distance as she stamps her title shot.
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Final Erin Blanchfield-Manon Fiorot Prediction & Pick: Erin Blanchfield (-200); UNDER 4.5 Rounds (-133)
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