Erin Blanchfield isn’t holding back, openly admitting her frustration over Wang Cong landing a title shot ahead of her. The division has been a logjam for ages, and Blanchfield’s patience is clearly wearing thin as she looks to finally prove she’s championship material.
The Snub That Everyone Saw Coming (Except the UFC?)
For five years since her UFC debut, Erin Blanchfield has been touted as a future champion. The buzz was real. She debuted at 22, quickly establishing herself as one of the flyweight division’s hottest prospects, and it felt like a title shot was always just around the corner. But she’s never quite crossed that finish line. Her only UFC defeat, a unanimous decision loss to Manon Fiorot, definitely didn’t help her cause, but let’s be real, the circumstances around the title picture have been a nightmare.
Remember that never-ending trilogy between Valentina Shevchenko and Alexa Grasso? Yeah, that froze the entire division for nearly two years. Blanchfield even found comfort in it back then, figuring more time would just make her even more prepared. That perspective? Long gone. Now, with Shevchenko’s injury, Natalia Silva emerging as champion, and Grasso’s resurgence, it’s just another logjam at the top. Blanchfield, who seemed destined for the belt, is stuck wondering when her time will ever come. “It’s frustrating. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t,” Blanchfield told CBS Sports. You can practically hear the exasperation in her voice. “If it’s not your time, it’s not your time. You have to wait and keep working.”
A Controversial Call and a Must-Win Fight
Blanchfield wasn’t just sitting around, though. When rumors started flying about Shevchenko’s injury, Blanchfield and her manager went straight to the UFC, angling hard for that vacant championship. She was already booked to fight Jasmine Jasudavicius, but she was absolutely ready to ditch those plans for a shot at the belt. The UFC, however, went in another direction entirely, booking Silva against Wang Cong at UFC 332. “They didn’t reach out to me. My manager and I reached out to them because I wanted to put my hat in, if that was an option or opportunity,” Blanchfield explained. “They wanted Wang Cong to take that fight, and I had my fight already. That definitely sucked a bit in the moment, but I had to quickly say, ‘Whatever, that’s not happening.’ I have this fight. I need to perform, and everything else can come after that.”
Wang’s selection for the title shot? Seriously controversial. Sure, she had won several consecutive fights and famously beat Shevchenko in kickboxing over a decade ago. But let’s be real, there were more established contenders ahead of her in the UFC rankings. Now, Blanchfield has to shift gears entirely. She’s got to put on a strong performance against Jasmine Jasudavicius this Saturday at UFC Fight Night in Edmonton. Winning might not even be enough in this crazy crowded division, meaning Blanchfield absolutely has to make a statement. She’s gotta put on a show and remind everyone why *she* should be next. Her title dreams are on the line, plain and simple.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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