Erin Blanchfield has spent much of her UFC career being told she's a future champion. Five years after her debut, she's still waiting to prove it. Blanchfield can strengthen her case on Saturday against Jasmine Jasudavicius at UFC Fight Night in Edmonton, but winning might not be enough in an increasingly crowded women's flyweight title picture.
Blanchfield knows she needs to make a statement. Blanchfield was 22 when she made her UFC debut, quickly establishing herself as one of the division's most promising prospects. She's come close to a title shot before but has never crossed the finish line.
Her unanimous decision loss to Manon Fiorot, her only UFC defeat, didn't help, but neither did the circumstances surrounding the championship. The trilogy between Valentina Shevchenko and Alexa Grasso effectively froze the division for nearly two years. Blanchfield found comfort in the delay at that time, reasoning that additional time would only make her better prepared for an eventual title opportunity.
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Shevchenko's injury, Natalia Silva's emergence as champion and Grasso's resurgence risk another logjam at the top of the division. Blanchfield, once seemingly destined for a title shot, is again left wondering when her opportunity will come. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't," Blanchfield told CBS Sports.
"If it's not your time, it's not your time. You have to wait and keep working." Blanchfield tried to navigate around the delay. When rumors surfaced about Shevchenko's injury, Blanchfield and her manager contacted the UFC, angling to fight for the vacant championship.
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