The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s women’s flyweight division just got more exciting. Manon Fiorot has emerged as a new top contender. She showcased her skills against Erin Blanchfield at UFC on ESPN 54. It was quite the main event.
Right from the start, Blanchfield threatened with a guillotine choke. It was her counter to Fiorot’s takedown attempt. But Fiorot, hailing from France, wasn’t about to let that stop her. She found her rhythm, standing up, using jabs and leg kicks to keep Blanchfield at bay.
“Cold Blooded” Blanchfield tried to turn the tide in the later rounds. She threw caution to the wind, becoming more aggressive. Despite her efforts, it was too late. Fiorot won by unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring it 50-45.
Now, “The Beast” boasts a 6-0 record inside the Octagon. Impressive, right?
Switching gears to the co-main event, Joaquin Buckley made a statement. He faced off against Vicente Luque, aiming to climb the welterweight ranks. The first round was a bit cautious, both fighters respecting the other’s power. Buckley had a slight edge.
Then, the second round heated up. Buckley, known as “New Mansa,” started unleashing flying knees. He got more aggressive, which paid off. Luque, “The Silent Assassin,” made a critical error by pulling guard. Buckley capitalized, hammering Luque with heavy punches until the referee intervened. The fight ended at 3:17 of Round 2.
Chris Weidman also made headlines, albeit controversially. The former middleweight champ faced Bruno Silva. Despite a recent leg injury, Weidman was kicking from the get-go. He dominated the first round and continued to impress in the subsequent rounds. However, an eye poke (the third in the fight) led to a stoppage. After a replay review, Weidman was awarded a unanimous technical decision win at 2:18 of Round 3.
In other news, Nursulton Ruziboev found himself in a controversial win over Sedriques Dumas. An uncalled eye poke allowed Ruziboev to overwhelm Dumas with punches, leading to a stoppage at 3:18 of Round 1.
Kyle Nelson is on the rise in the featherweight division. He secured a TKO victory over Bill Algeo. Despite Algeo’s effective kicks, Nelson’s punches proved too much. The fight was stopped at 4:00 of Round 1, marking Nelson’s third consecutive win.
Opening the main card, Chidi Njokuani and Rhys McKee went head-to-head. It was a close fight, with Njokuani’s striking making the difference. He managed to fend off McKee’s takedown attempts and secured a split decision win. This victory snapped a three-fight losing streak for Njokuani.
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