Norma Dumont is set to face UFC newcomer Erin Blanchfield in a bantamweight fight at UFC Vegas 23. The bout was a short-notice booking after Dumont's original opponent Bia Malecki pulled out of the fight due to undisclosed reasons.
While Norma Dumont is a well-known bantamweight, her opponent Erin Blanchfield is a relatively unknown yet talented prospect that deserves to be introduced to UFC fans around the world. Here is everything you need to know about Erin Blanchfield.
Erin Blanchfield formerly competed in the flyweight division
Erin Blanchfield started training Jiu-Jitsu at age seven and decided to become a professional fighter when she was 12 years old. Since making her professional MMA debut in March 2018, Erin Blanchfield has competed in the flyweight division of Invicta FC and Cage Fury, where she amassed a 6-1 professional record with three finishes on her resumé. Her only professional loss was a split decision defeat against Tracey Cortez in February 2019. It is unclear if Blanchfield will go back to flyweight after the Norma Dumont fight.
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
She missed her opportunity to fight for the Invicta FC title due to Covid-19
Erin Blanchfield earned a shot at the Invicta FC title with dominant wins over Victoria Leonardo and Brogan Walker-Sanchez in 2020. She was supposed to fight Pearl Gonzalez for the vacant Invicta FC flyweight title in November 2020. However, the bout was canceled after Pearl Gonzalez tested positive for Covid-19. Blanchfield has not competed since her unanimous decision win over Brogan Walker-Sanchez in June 2020.
Erin Blanchfield is a former Eddie Bravo Invitational champion
Erin Blanchfield holds a purple belt in BJJ. She was the winner of the Eddie Bravo Invitational (EBI) tournament in the 12th season. The event was the first-ever all-female EBI tournament that featured 16 women's flyweight participants. Blanchfield won the tournament and walked away with a $20000 prize.
Erin Blanchfield is a biology student
MMA fighters are not usually associated with academic and educational activities. However, Erin Blanchfield is a student at Montclair State University, majoring in biology.