Erin Blanchfield hopes a press release win over Maycee Barber at UFC Vegas 107 places her in title competition, however the line to get to reigning champion Valentina Shevchenko would possibly get a bit longer if strawweight queen Zhang Weili decides to maneuver to 125 kilos.
Following Shevchenko’s unanimous choice win over Manon Fiorot at UFC 315, Zhang wasted no time providing a congratulations together with a press release hinting at her pursuit of a second title saying “every thing has lined up completely, it‘s future.” Whereas nothing has been determined but, Shevchenko vs. Zhang could be the largest ladies’s battle out there within the UFC proper now, and Blanchfield positively wasn’t blindsided with that risk.
“I do know that now if individuals need to transfer as much as one other weight class, they’re making them vacate their belt on the decrease weight class and keep within the increased weight class,” Blanchfield informed MMA Combating. “I’m unsure that’s one thing [Zhang wants to do]. Like I’m positive Weili needs to battle Valentina as a result of who doesn’t? They’ve each been round for some time, and it could be a cool champ versus champ battle, however I don’t know if she needs to remain at 125 and battle the remainder of the women in that division.
“I believe that might be actually exhausting for me. But when she strikes up, I plan on successful my battle, after which possibly I’ve to battle once more if I battle [Natalia] Silva or one thing like that, then I can get a title shot. I really feel like regardless of the way it works out, it’s going to be quickly.”
As dominant as Zhang has been ruling over the 115-pound ladies’s division, Blanchfield doesn’t count on her to search out practically as a lot success at flyweight.
Blanchfield felt a lot the identical when former champion Rose Namajunas determined to maneuver as much as 125 kilos the place she’s at the moment sporting a 2-2 file total within the division. Whereas there’s no denying that each Zhang and Namajunas are unbelievable fighters, Blanchfield is aware of weight courses within the UFC exist for a purpose.
“I believe Weili could be very comparable [to Rose],” Blanchfield mentioned. “I believe she may win some fights at flyweight, as a result of she is superb. However I don’t see her being a champ. I don’t actually see her even being high 5 at 125.
“Rose was capable of beat her twice and knock her out as soon as. Rose is a bit bit greater than Weili, a minimum of peak clever so Weili has even much less of a bonus at 125 being even shorter. She may battle there however I don’t see her being high 5 or champ at 125.”
Blanchfield’s opinion is probably not widespread with Zhang’s greatest supporters however the 26-year-old flyweight gained’t shrink back from making a daring prediction similar to she did when Namajunas got here to the division.
All of the success at strawweight would possibly make Zhang one of many best 115-pound fighters in historical past however that doesn’t essentially translate to wins in a much bigger weight class.
“I believe when you may have lots of success at a weight class, I believe individuals begin considering ‘I may do that at any weight,’” Blanchfield mentioned. “It’s such as you’re underestimating [the competition].
“It solely seems like 10 kilos on paper however lots of these women are chopping from lots increased [weight]. So I believe they form of underestimate the dimensions distinction between weight courses.”
Outdoors of Zhang probably coming as much as flyweight, Blanchfield is aware of she additionally has to cope with a possible problem from Natalia Silva, who’s at the moment 7-0 within the UFC together with her most up-to-date win coming over former champion Alexa Grasso.
Blanchfield admits she’s been impressed by Silva to this point, though not completely shocked on the approach she’s been successful.
“I knew Silva was going to do this,” Blanchfield mentioned concerning the battle in opposition to Grasso. “That’s her fashion. She hits and runs, hits and runs. She’s excellent at it. Alexa form of fed proper into it, she was chasing her an excessive amount of.
“You don’t know the way it’s. Alexa misplaced her title, it could be a bit bit exhausting for her to recover from. I don’t know what her camp was like. I believe she may have performed extra however she wasn’t capable of [at UFC 315].”
Whether or not Zhang or Silva get the following title shot is actually inconsequential to Blanchfield till she will get by Barber subsequent Saturday on the UFC APEX in Las Vegas.
If she’s capable of not solely win however put Barber away by knockout or submission, the New Jersey native that’s going to talk volumes about her personal candidacy for an opportunity to face Shevchenko subsequent.
“I believe if I’m going on the market and end Maycee, which I do know I can, that places me forward,” Blanchfield mentioned. “I believe a end is at all times higher than a call win.
“I’m at all times centered on the battle forward. I really feel just like the media issues, the Weili battle, I really feel like individuals are at all times making an attempt to throw distractions at me so it’s one thing you at all times must cope with main into each battle. I believe every thing has its timing. I’ve lots to develop on and to enhance on. I believe this battle will probably be a great alternative to do this.”
