Erin Blanchfield aims to shake slow starts, explains Alexa Grasso callout at UFC Fight Night 246

EDMONTON, Alberta, Canada – UFC Fight Night 246 marked a big moment for Erin Blanchfield, as she defeated former champion Rose Namajunas by unanimous decision.

The five-round co-main event took place Saturday at Rogers Place and propelled Blanchfield (13-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC) one step further toward getting her first UFC title opportunity.

It didn’t come without struggle, however. Namajunas (13-7 MMA, 11-6 UFC) puzzled Blanchfield with her striking in the first two rounds before Blanchfield swung the momentum to take the final three rounds.

“It was a super tough fight,” Blanchfield told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a post-fight news conference. “I feel like I won the last three rounds, and we dropped the first two. I think it was a really good experience.” … I know I always have that in myself. I wish I would stop dropping those first one or two rounds. But I knew if I found my timing with that takedown again, and I knew it was my fight.”

While there’s still much to improve on, Blanchfield said she wants to make sure another big matchup is next. Given that a title fight is likely out of reach with Manon Fiorot waiting in the wings, Blanchfield called for the next best option: Alexa Grasso (16-4-1 MMA, 8-4-1 UFC), the woman who held the belt prior to the current champion Valentina Shevchenko.

“I think she already said something that she would love to take that fight, so I think it’s going to happen,” Blanchfield said. “… She’s another great boxer just like Rose is. I could see it being similar. … I feel like all my fights that I’ve had have led me up to that point. Fighting against these levels of opponents will really set me up.

“I don’t want to fight people that are not necessarily going to ever be champs themselves. I feel like that’s not going to give me the experience I need. That’s why I called someone out, someone like Alexa.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 246.