Rose Namajunas hopes to get into title rivalry with a win over Erin Blanchfield at UFC Edmonton on Saturday, however she might have arguably been nearer already if her earlier battle occurred as scheduled.
Again in July, Namajunas was set to face Maycee Barber in a battle that probably was to find out the No. 1 contender within the division. Sadly, Barber fell unwell within the days main as much as the battle and she or he nonetheless hasn’t return to motion as she continues to cope with her medical points.
Namajunas moved on and defeated Tracy Cortez in dominant trend as an alternative and was joyful to then e book the battle in opposition to Blanchfield on Saturday fairly than revisit the matchup with Barber.
“I all the time had my eye on Erin each time she began her momentum and stuff within the UFC,” Namajunas mentioned throughout UFC Edmonton media day. “I used to be in strawweight and thought she was an excellent competitor and someone that if I ever acquired the prospect to face her, I’d be actually enthusiastic about.
“It’s unlucky with Maycee there’s lots of ambiguity, lots of questions what’s happening. I nonetheless want her well being and wellness and hopefully she will be able to get again to issues nevertheless it actually sucks if you prepare particularly for a battle after which it simply will get all the way in which right down to it after which it doesn’t [happen]. I’m good at adapting and altering situations and issues like that. I might simply be a bit hesitant to e book that battle straight away as a result of there’s lots of questions with what’s happening along with her.”
Whereas Barber only recently posted an replace that she’s continued to work with a number of medical doctors trying to find solutions so she might start working in direction of her comeback, Namajunas wasn’t going to attend on that attainable battle. As a substitute, she will get the next ranked opponent in Blanchfield (at present No. 4 at 125 kilos within the MMA Fighting Global Rankings), who seems to be to rebound after struggling her first loss within the UFC in a unanimous resolution to Manon Fiorot.
By all accounts, Fiorot, who additionally holds a win over Namajunas, is anticipated to get the subsequent flyweight title shot in opposition to reigning champion Valentina Shevchenko someday in 2025. Nothing has been signed, sealed or delivered by the UFC in relation to that matchup, nonetheless, so Namajunas wouldn’t complain if she acquired the prospect to leap the road with a formidable win over Blanchfield on Saturday.
“I assume something’s attainable and that’s my intention to placed on a extremely good efficiency sufficient to the place there’s little doubt I could possibly be subsequent,” Namajunas mentioned. “However I simply really feel as if Manon deserves it subsequent in any case no matter what I do. She technically has a [win] over me. I do really feel like if that was a five-round battle, I believe I might have discovered a strategy to win. I used to be discovering it in direction of the top. However it’s what it’s.”
Namajunas wouldn’t complain if she was granted a title shot, however once more she’s not going to be too upset to probably face Fiorot in a rematch or get the prospect to go up in opposition to Shevchenko, certainly one of her idols within the sport.
“If [Manon Fiorot] wins the belt, that may be nice to battle her once more and even have that dream matchup with Valentina at some point,” Namajunas mentioned. “So I’d be excited to see them battle but when the UFC needed to place me forward of that with a really spectacular efficiency, I’d be open to that as nicely.”
Namajunas has typically talked about her adoration for Shevchenko after they skilled collectively up to now. It could be bittersweet to face her in a title battle, however Namajunas couldn’t think about a greater individual to battle than someone she admires a lot.
“She’s undoubtedly all the time been my favourite feminine fighter,” Namajunas mentioned about Shevchenko. “She’s someone that I love quite a bit and skilled with quite a bit. It could be laborious for me to not simply be fanning out whereas I’m preventing her on the similar time, it could be type of bizarre.
“On the similar time, simply as a martial artist, it could be the final word dream to check myself in opposition to I’d say one of many truest martial artists within the sport proper now.”
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