UFC Edmonton Predictions And Picks: Blanchfield Vs. Namajunas
by Trent Reinsmith · ForbesA noteworthy women’s flyweight bout serves as the co-main event of Saturday’s UFC Edmonton fight card. In that scrap, Erin Blanchfield faces former UFC strawweight champion Rose Namajunas. While the fight isn’t likely to determine the next opponent for UFC women’s flyweight titleholder Valentina Shevchenko, the winner might have a chance to wrest that shot away from the No. 2 ranked Manon Fiorot.
Blanchfield (12-2) is the No. 3 fighter in the official UFC women’s flyweight rankings. The 25-year-old Blanchfield was riding a nine-fight winning streak when she faced Fiorot in the main event of a UFC Fight Night card in March of this year. Fiorot won that bout with ease, ringing up three 50-45 scores from the judges. The victory seemed to put Fiorot at the top of the list to face the winner of the UFC 306 matchup between Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko. Shevchenko regained the women’s 125-pound title from Grasso in that scrap with a unanimous decision.
Blanchfield needs a win in the UFC Edmonton co-main event if she hopes to stay in the immediate conversation regarding a UFC women’s flyweight title shot.
Namajunas (13-6) moved to flyweight in 2023 after her second run with the strawweight title ended with a split-decision loss to Carla Esparza. In her first fight at 125 pounds, Fiorot defeated Namajunas via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28). The ex-115-pound champ bounced back from that setback with decision wins over Amanda Ribas and Tracy Cortez. Namajunas looked very good in defeating Cortez in July. The 32-year-old Namajunas is the No. 5 fighter in the UFC’s flyweight division.
UFC Edmonton: Erin Blanchfield
“Losing always sucks and it takes a little getting over,” Blanchfield said. “I didn’t harp on it for too long. I just let my body heal from the fight and then I was back to training. Yeah, I feel like me and my coaches watched over it. We found things we wanted to improve on, my distance management and my striking and my wrestling and everything as I always do. So I kind of focused on that.”
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“I think Manon (Fiorot) is definitely getting the title next and I think having a really good performance Saturday, like getting a finish over Rose definitely puts me in that title picture next,” Blanchfield added.
UFC Edmonton: Rose Namajunas
“Anything’s possible and, yeah, that’s my intentions, to really put on a good performance, enough to where there’s no doubt that I could be next,” Namajunas said. “I just kind of feel as if Manon deserves it next anyway, regardless of what I do. She technically has a (win) over me. I do feel like, if that was a five-round fight, I think I could’ve found a way to win. I was finding it toward the end, but it is what it is.
“If she wins the belt, then that would be great to fight her again or even have that dream matchup with Valentina one day. I’d be excited to see them fight, but if the UFC wanted to put me ahead of that with a very spectacular performance, I’d be open to that, as well.”
UFC Edmonton: Blanchfield vs. Namajunas Betting Odds
This fight was a pick ‘em when betting odds were released with Blanchfield at -120 and Namajunas at -110. Today, Blanchfield is a -143 betting favorite over Namajunas, who is the +110 betting underdog.
UFC Edmonton: Blanchfield vs. Namajunas Prediction and Pick
The UFC Edmonton co-main event is a five-round affair, and that could make for a difficult evening for Blanchfield. Unless her takedown efficiency has improved by leaps and bounds and her striking has become more fluid and natural, she will struggle against the more well-rounded and complete Namajunas.
The betting pick is for Namajunas to earn a decision victory over Blanchfield on the UFC Edmonton card.
UFC Edmonton: How to Watch
UFC Edmonton streams on ESPN+, with the main card starting at 8:00 p.m. ET. The preliminary card is on the same streaming service, starting at 5:30 p.m. ET.