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The UFC visited Atlantic City last night for its latest Fight Night event, and fans in attendance were treated to the crowning of two new title contenders.
UFC Fight Night: Erin Blanchfield vs. Manon Fiorot saw a possible title challenger emerge in the headliner, while in the co-main event, another fighter crashed into the top fifteen.
So what's next for these fighters and the other stars who earned big wins on last night's event? Here are five fights to make after UFC Fight Night: Erin Blanchfield vs. Manon Fiorot.
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#5. UFC featherweight bout: Kyle Nelson vs. Nate Landwehr
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Two of last night's more exciting fights saw featherweights Nate Landwehr and Kyle Nelson win in pretty spectacular fashion.
Nelson dispatched Bill Algeo in a wild brawl that saw both men winging haymakers from the off, while Landwehr produced a stirring comeback to knock out Jamall Emmers.
Neither fighter is going to climb into contention at 145 pounds any time soon, but as reliable action fighters, they're hugely important for the UFC - particularly for smaller Fight Night events.
Therefore, it makes total sense for the promotion to pair them off on the main card of a future Fight Night and watch the sparks fly. Based on last night, they'd almost guarantee a Fight of the Night award.
#4. UFC middleweight bout: Chris Weidman vs. Gerald Meerschaert
Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman won his first fight since 2020 last night, but it didn't come without plenty of controversy.
'The All-American' was initially awarded a TKO win over Bruno Silva but was eventually given a technical decision instead after a replay showed that an eye poke had led to the stoppage.
The matchmakers could easily sign a rematch between Weidman and 'Blindado', but, realistically, there wouldn't be much point. Weidman proved last night that, eye pokes notwithstanding, he's the better fighter.
Therefore, if he wants to continue, a better opponent for the former champ could be Gerald Meerschaert. The veteran is 36, dangerous yet not too durable, and is coming off a win over Bryan Barberena.
'GM3' would act as a threatening yet beatable opponent for Weidman, who at this point, is simply looking to string together more than one win in a row. It wouldn't be an eye-catching fight for the former champ, but it'd make sense.
#3. UFC flyweight bout: Erin Blanchfield vs. Alexa Grasso or Valentina Shevchenko
On the cusp of a shot at the UFC flyweight title, Erin Blanchfield found herself derailed last night by Manon Fiorot.
'Cold Blooded' simply couldn't get into a rhythm throughout the five-round bout, as she was kept on the end of Fiorot's cleaner striking and couldn't really unleash her dangerous ground game.
The fight exposed a hole in her overall arsenal, but, thankfully, Blanchfield is young enough to bounce back. Therefore, a fun fight for her to take next could be against the loser of the upcoming title bout between Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko.
Sure, it'd mean a lengthy wait on the shelf for 'Cold Blooded', as that bout isn't expected to happen until September. However, that would allow Blanchfield plenty of time to improve following this loss.
Considering that, it would make a lot of sense and could well lead her to a title shot in 2025.
#2. UFC welterweight bout: Joaquin Buckley vs. Gilbert Burns
The fighter who arguably made the biggest step forward last night was Joaquin Buckley. He picked up his third win in a row at 170 pounds, and by beating No.11 ranked Vicente Luque, should crack the top-15 next week.
Based on his showings at welterweight thus far, 'New Mansa' could easily develop into a legitimate title contender, a far cry from the inconsistent action fighter he was as a middleweight.
The UFC obviously need to match him with another potential contender next time out, then, and one fighter who could definitely work is Gilbert Burns.
'Durinho' is a former title contender, but he's coming off two straight losses, and suffered a bad TKO defeat to Jack Della Maddalena in his last outing.
Sure, he'd be a huge step up in competition for Buckley, but he's also on the downswing of a lengthy career and would act as a huge feather in the cap of 'New Mansa' if he could win.
At the end of the day, there's no reward without risk in the UFC, and this would be a huge reward for Buckley if he could come out on top.
#1. UFC flyweight title: Alexa Grasso or Valentina Shevchenko vs. Manon Fiorot
Last night's headliner pitted two fighters undefeated in the octagon against one another, with a likely flyweight title shot on the line.
Eventually, Manon Fiorot came out on top. She picked apart Erin Blanchfield from range, never let 'Cold Blooded' find a rhythm, and stayed vertical for most of the fight to cruise to a five-round win.
The victory should logically move her into line for a shot at the crown, but there's an issue there. Current champ Alexa Grasso is set to defend against former titleholder Valentina Shevchenko in their trilogy bout, but that isn't likely to happen until September.
However, it's likely that 'The Beast' won't mind the layoff. It's unlikely that anyone is going to leapfrog her until then anyway, and at the end of the day, she has earned a shot and deserves a break.
Therefore, with any hope, the UFC could kick off their 2025 campaign with this title bout.
