PARIS – Manon Fiorot thinks flyweight is not Rose Namajunas’ weight class.
Fiorot (11-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) spoiled Namajunas’ (11-6 MMA, 9-5 UFC) 125-pound debut when she outlasted her in a unanimous decision win in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 226 co-main event at Accor Arena.
After going three hard rounds with Namajunas, Fiorot says “Thug Rose” doesn’t have the strength for the division.
“I think she’s lacking a bit of power in this weight class,” Fiorot told reporters through an interpreter at the UFC Fight Night 226 post-fight news conference. “I don’t know what she’s going to do after, if she’s going to stay there or go back, but I don’t think it’s her weight class.”
Namajunas shot multiple takedowns on Fiorot, but Fiorot was able to fend them all off. While many projected her to be the one to wrestle, Fiorot said she wasn’t surprised with Namajunas’ game plan since she didn’t think she’d be able to keep up with her on the feet.
“I knew I was a better striker, so I was pretty sure she wanted to wrestle me,” Fiorot said. “But it was impossible to take me down.”
Fiorot called for a title shot after her fight. If the UFC offers her Erin Blanchfield next, she’d take it and doesn’t expect to have any issues against the fellow surging contender. Blanchfield (12-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) is coming off a win over former title challenger Taila Santos this past Saturday at UFC Fight Night 225 in Singapore.
“To me, I clearly deserve the title shot,” Fiorot said. “I don’t see why I’d fight Erin. But if I have to, and I don’t have a choice, for sure it’s going to be an easy fight for me.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 226.
