UFC Combat Evening 258 is coming alongside properly because the matchmakers have simply added their fourth bout to the lineup, a headliner between a pair of flyweight contenders in no. 3 ranked Erin Blanchfield (13-2) and no. 4 ranked Maycee Barber (14-2).
UFC FN 258 is to go down on Could 31, 2025, dwell from the UFC Apex in Enterprise Nevada.
Each of those ladies have had a wealth of hype round them ever since they joined the UFC, and now that every are ranked inside the highest 5 it’s an ideal time for them to combat in a possible title eliminator.
After UFC flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko faces no. 2 ranked Manon Fiorot, the winner of this combat will most probably be subsequent in line to problem the winner.
Maycee Barber (26) got here to the UFC in 2018 with an expert file of 5-0, consisting of a 4-0 run in LFA in addition to a win on Dana White’s Contender Collection. She’d blow by means of her first three octagon opponents, defeating Hannah Cifers (TKO), JJ Aldrich (TKO), and Gillian Robertson (TKO), earlier than dropping her subsequent two to Roxanne Modafferi (UD) and future champion Alexa Grasso (UD).
Barber hasn’t misplaced since nonetheless, successful her final six straight over the likes of Miranda Maverick (SD), Montana De La Rosa (UD), former title challenger Jessica Eye (UD), Andrea Lee (SD), Amanda Ribas (TKO), and a second former title challenger in Katlyn Cerminara (UD).
The Maverick and Lee selections had been each fairly disputed, however Barber’s proven a lot evolution over her final two fights specifically, stopping high 10 ranked Ribas and utterly dealing with Cerminara, giving her no area en path to a dominant and lopsided win.
Then there’s Erin Blanchfield (25), a BJJ phenom turned MMA phenom that’s solely misplaced as soon as in eight promotional appearances.
Becoming a member of the UFC in 2021 at 6-1 as a professional, solely ever dropping to present no. 10 ranked Tracey Cortez (SD), she’d additionally fought in simply two promotions previous to coming over, going 4-1 in Invicta FC and 2-0 in CFFC.
Blanchfield went on to win her first six UFC bouts, defeating the likes of Sarah Alpar (UD), Miranda Maverick (UD), JJ Aldrich (guillotine choke), Molly McCann (kimura), former strawweight champion and former flyweight title challenger Jessica Andrade (rear bare choke), and former title challenger Taila Santos (UD).
This was adopted up by a defeat to Manon Fiorot (UD) earlier than Blanchfield rebounded with a win in her second straight 5 spherical combat in opposition to one other former strawweight champion in Rose Namajunas (UD).
Alexa Grasso remains to be ranked at no. 1 within the UFC girls’s flyweight division, although contemplating her final three fights had been all in opposition to Valentina Shevchenko, going winless over the latter two, it’s unlikely she’ll get a shot over the winner of this combat. Particularly if Shevchenko defeats Fiorot.
It’s probably every of those girls will combat for the belt within the close to future, however who strikes nearer to a flyweight title shot this yr with a win at UFC FN 258?
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