UFC Atlantic City preview: ‘Blanchfield vs. Fiorot’ predictions

FLYWEIGHT FRACAS!

Final Combating Championship (UFC) is simply in the future away from the upcoming UFC Atlantic City blended martial arts (MMA) occasion, set to go down tomorrow evening (Sat., March 30, 2024) on ESPN and ESPN+ from inside Boardwalk Corridor in Atlantic Metropolis, New Jersey. UFC Atlantic Metropolis will characteristic a 125-pound primary occasion pitting Top 5 flyweight contender Erin Blanchfield in opposition to French phenom Manon Fiorot, a five-round headliner with main title implications for late 2024 and past.

The winner is predicted to face both Amanda Grasso or Valentina Shevchenko, relying on what occurs in their flyweight championship trilogy.

Earlier than we dive into the primary and co-main occasion, which incorporates the 170-pound scrap between welterweight warriors Vicente Luque and Joaquin Buckley, checkout Patrick Stumberg’s breakdowns for the UFC Atlantic Metropolis “Prelims” card by clicking here and here. Get all the most recent “Blanchfield vs. Fiorot” odds and betting props courtesy of DraftKings proper here. For the remainder of tomorrow evening’s UFC Atlantic Metropolis primary card predictions click on here.

125 lbs.: Erin Blanchfield vs. Manon Fiorot

Erin “Chilly Blooded” Blanchfield

Document: 12-1 | Age: 24 | Betting line: -200
Wins: 2 KO/TKO, 4 SUB, 6 DEC | Losses: 0 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 1 DEC
Top: 5’4“ | Attain: 66” | Stance: Orthodox
Vital Strikes Landed Per Minute: 5.58 | Hanging accuracy: 52%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 3.32 | Hanging Protection: 62%
Takedown Common: 2.86 (36% accuracy) | Takedown Protection: 83%
Present Rating: No. 2 | Final struggle: Unanimous choice win over Taila Santos

Manon “The Beast” Fiorot

Document: 11-1 | Age: 34 | Betting line: +165
Wins: 6 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 5 DEC | Losses: 0 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 1 DEC
Top: 5’7“ | Attain: 65” | Stance: Orthodox
Vital Strikes Landed Per Minute: 6.05 | Hanging accuracy: 39%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 3.31 | Hanging Protection: 69%
Takedown Common: 1.36 (46% accuracy) | Takedown Protection: 91%
Present Rating: No. 3 | Final struggle: Unanimous choice win over Rose Namajunas

UFC flyweight up-and-comer Erin Blanchfield is at the moment sitting within the No. 2 spot at 125 kilos and for good purpose. The “Chilly Blooded” contender is an ideal 6-0 with three nasty finishes, placing the damage on some very powerful competitors together with Jessica Andrade and Taila Santos, amongst others. Not dangerous for a fighter who has but to succeed in her twenty fifth birthday and you may argue that Blanchfield has but to succeed in her aggressive prime. The New Jersey native is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu underneath Karel Pravec and averages 2.86 takedowns per struggle, which features a submission try charge of 1.2 for each quarter-hour of motion. Contemplating the inspiration of her offense, it could be shocking to study that her placing statistics are usually not that far off from that of her opponent — in each instructions.

“I don’t know (if she’s my hardest take a look at),” Blanchfield stated on the UFC Atlantic Metropolis media day. “Each struggle is clearly tremendous powerful. Everybody within the high 5 is tremendous powerful. We’ve each beat former champions. My final struggle was with Taila Santos who some folks thought beat Valentina (Shevchenko). We’ve each had powerful fights. I feel my street’s been somewhat bit more durable. Our information are very comparable. She’s lengthy and rangy. I’ve had months to strategize for that and I really feel tremendous ready for this struggle and I’m excited to point out it off on Saturday.”

Manon Fiorot made a spectacular debut at UFC Struggle Island 8, popping and stopping Victoria Leonardo earlier than shifting on to wallop Tabatha Ricci in her sophomore effort. Within the three years that adopted, “The Beast” appeared to lose a few of her killer intuition, rattling off 4 consecutive choices in principally forgettable affairs. You can too argue that her competitors was far more durable than the Leonardos of the world, making it a lot tougher (or far much less interesting) to go for broke. Both means, Fiorot appears content material to strike from vary and rack up the mandatory factors for a sweep on the judges’ scorecards. I don’t know if that technique will likely be sufficient for a gamer like Blanchfield, who is not going to be simply out-muscled.

“I feel will probably be a distinction of two completely different preventing types,” Fiorot stated on the UFC Atlantic Metropolis media day. “I do know what she’s going to do: Keep near me, attempt to take me to the ground. I’m ready and prepared. I’ve no concern, and I do know that I can handle each conditions. Clearly I already deserved two instances the title shot, however that’s how life goes. Generally there’s accidents and different issues. So, in fact, I imagine the following struggle will likely be for the title, and I do know they must make the trilogy (first), so I’ll wait no downside. The following one is the title.”

This can be a difficult struggle for a few causes, with the distinction of types being proper on the high. I can simply envision a situation the place a pissed off Blanchfield spends 25 minutes chasing a takedown that gained’t come as “The Beast” performs matador. I can simply as simply see Fiorot open with two robust rounds, then run out of fuel and get turned inside out by her youthful foe. 34 years-old versus 24 years-old is a large distinction once we’re speaking about high-intensity fight and I feel that could be the tipping level. Assuming she doesn’t get chinned with an overzealous offense to open the bout, I anticipate Blanchfield to slowly (however certainly) put on down her opponent, climate just a few flurries, and submit an exhausted Fiorot late within the struggle.

Prediction: Blanchfield def. Fiorot by submission

170 lbs.: Vicente Luque vs. Joaquin Buckley

Vicente “Silent Murderer” Luque

Document: 22-9-1 | Age: 32 | Betting line: -120
Wins: 11 KO/TKO, 8 SUB, 3 DEC | Losses: 1 KO/TKO, 2 SUB, 6 DEC
Top: 5’11“ | Attain: 75” | Stance: Orthodox
Vital Strikes Landed Per Minute: 5.17 | Hanging accuracy: 52%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 5.15 | Hanging Protection: 52%
Takedown Common: 1.04 (60% accuracy) | Takedown Protection: 62%
Present Rating: No. 11 | Final struggle: Unanimous choice win over Rafael dos Anjos

Joaquin “New Mansa” Buckley

Document: 17-6 | Age: 29 | Betting line: -105
Wins: 12 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 5 DEC | Losses: 4 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 2 DEC
Top: 5’10“ | Attain: 76” | Stance: Southpaw
Vital Strikes Landed Per Minute: 3.87 | Hanging accuracy: 33%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 3.31 | Hanging Protection: 57%
Takedown Common: 1.51 (36% accuracy) | Takedown Protection: 55%
Present Rating: Unranked | Final struggle: Unanimous choice win over Alex Morono

Vicente Luque has been one of the crucial thrilling fighters to look at over the past 9 years, racking up an unimaginable eight post-fight efficiency bonuses, together with 4 “Struggle of the Night time” honors. Sadly, it’s true what they are saying about residing and dying by the sword. After a torrid 10-1 run by the welterweight division, the Brazilian dropped two straight, together with his knockout loss to Geoff Neal causing a brain hemorrhage — and subsequent one-year medical suspension. Upon his return, “The Silent Murderer” was in a position to grind out a call win over former light-weight champion Rafael dos Anjos, an unsightly and unimpressive efficiency when you think about “RDA” has been taken down practically 70 instances in his UFC profession.

Not surprisingly, Dos Anjos solely managed 66 important strikes throughout 5 rounds of competitors. I’m making an enormous deal out of that struggle as a result of it didn’t actually inform us a lot about the place Luque stands post-brain bleed. When you have a look at his stats, he will get blasted with simply as many blows as he dishes out, which might be the quickest method to shorten a profession. Within the outdated days he may eat that harm and march ahead to impose his will. I’m unsure that’s a sensible choice at age 32 with over 1,000 important strikes absorbed.

“I’ve been in that place earlier than, like in Buckley’s place,” Luque stated on the UFC Atlantic Metropolis media day. “I’ve been the man exterior the rankings that folks had been involved about as a result of we’re good, we’re harmful. Combating is at all times danger, however I really feel the extra danger I take, the extra reward I’m going to get from that. That’s how I have a look at this struggle. Yeah, he’s not ranked, and he’s harmful, however I’m harmful as nicely, and I’ll give him the chance to attempt to are available and beat me. I’ve a mode that folks love to look at, so on the finish of the day it’s a struggle that persons are going to look at and are going to be supporting. I can showcase my abilities and my work my means up within the division.”

Joaquin Buckley has but to crack the Prime 15 at 170 kilos however did have his quarter-hour of fame again in late 2020, starching PFL champion Impa Kasanganay with a thunderous spinning again kick knockout. Sadly for “New Mansa,” his largest adversary has been consistency, evidenced by his 7-4 file courting again to a technical knockout loss to Kevin Holland at UFC Struggle Island 5. The 29 year-old Buckley appears to have lastly discovered his rhythm after dropping down from 185 kilos and he’s now the winner of two straight, smashing Andre Fialho at UFC Vegas 73 earlier than shutting down the artful Alex Morono at UFC Vegas 80. Buckley is a stable wrestler however has but to attain a submission victory in 23 skilled fights, so the takedowns don’t actually serve a lot goal — apart from racking up factors from the judges. His largest weapon heading into UFC Atlantic Metropolis will likely be his velocity, although getting shut sufficient to make use of it could additionally backfire.

“Now that I’m getting a struggle that I requested for, it’s a phenomenal scenario,” Buckley stated on the UFC Atlantic Metropolis media day. “I’m appreciative of Vicente Luque really taking over the problem. As a result of on the finish of the day, regardless of if I need to struggle him or if the UFC desires to e book it, the opponent of mine has to take the struggle and I’m simply appreciative of Vicente Luque taking this struggle. The most important factor is I do know what place it’s going to place me in so far as the standing of the UFC. It places me within the rankings and get placed on path to change into a world champion. I really feel like I can achieve this way more with my profession as a fighter and might come house to St. Louis and placed on.”

I feel the Luque of 2020 runs by this model of Buckley, very like he did in opposition to Randy Brown at UFC Vegas 5. That stated, it’s 2024 and I don’t have an incredible quantity of confidence within the Brazilian’s potential to maintain harm. Perhaps I’m overreacting or falling by the wayside too quickly, it’s potential, I simply assume “The Silent Murderer” will depend on what bought him to the dance — solely to get overwhelmed to the punch (actually) by the youthful, quicker Buckley.

Prediction: Buckley def. Luque by knockout

Don’t overlook to take a look at the remainder of the UFC Atlantic Metropolis primary card predictions RIGHT HERE.

LIVE! Stream UFC Atlantic City On ESPN+

FLYWEIGHT FISTICUFFS! Final Combating Championship (UFC) returns to its APEX venue in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sat., March 23, 2024, with an action-packed bout that includes No. 10-ranked Flyweight contender, Amanda Ribas, locking horns with former Strawweight queenpin, Rose Namajunas, within the five-round primary occasion. In UFC Vegas 89’s ESPN+-streamed co-main occasion, Karl Williams will tussle with Justin Tafa in a hard-hitting Heavyweight showdown.

Don’t miss a single second of face-punching action!

MMAmania.com will ship LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow protection of your complete UFC Atlantic Metropolis struggle card RIGHT HERE, beginning with the ESPN2/ESPN+ preliminary card bouts at 7 p.m. ET, adopted by the ESPN/ESPN+ primary card begin time at 10 p.m. ET.

To take a look at the most recent and best UFC Atlantic Metropolis information and notes be sure you hit up our complete occasion archives here and here. For the up to date and finalized “Blanchfield vs. Fiorot” struggle card and ESPN/ESPN+ line up click here.