Does Erin Blanchfield really have what it takes to beat Val?

[Shay Brennan]

Although an impressive performance and all , she had big trouble wrestling Andarde in the first round, while Val ragdolled Jessica easily.

She's also smaller than Taila, less powerful. Val took Taila down, there is no doubt she will do the same to Erin.

So, what exactly is her way to victory?
What are her strengths and weaknesses?
Will she get the next title shot?

 

[Dr. Rose]

Her path to victory is if, and it is a big if, Val does not come in hungry (just like her last fight with Taila)

 

[Substance Abuse]

If Valetina can stop initiating the grappling out of habit, dictate distance and keep the fight standing, she'll win. Erin is very good. If she gets Val on the ground she can definitely win on points or find a submission, but that's much easier said than done.

People are down on Valentina after the Santos fight, but she should still be the favorite going into that fight when they make it.

 

[BFoe]

Yeah, I think Blanchfield has what it takes. Her hands looked really nice last night, although I don’t expect her to outstrike Val for long. But she could very well able to hold her own standing long enough to get some opportunities grappling, plus Val is only getting older.

 

[JustBleed69]

Val's head and arm shit will not work well with Blanchfield; it is, in general, a pretty easy takedown to avoid and WMMA has only had so much of it because the grappling has been so underdeveloped. Tailia showed that shit doesn't fly with more legit grapplers and I expect Erin to showcase the exact same thing.
If Eric can get the fight to the ground she will have a field day with Val imo

 

[TITS]

This is how godawful the division is

 

[Edward Henry Greb]

Erin is too fat for the weight, too slow in her delivery, and too raw in her technique.

Beating midget Andrade is one thing; beating Val is another.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

She obviously gets tooled on the feet. On the ground it'd be interesting but Val is a strong girl to get there.

If she can stay healthy I think Suarez is a bigger threat.

 

[KAZSoliloquy]

blanchfield should drop to 115. i like her chances better there.

 

[JoeRowe]

I think Blanchfield's pace could be a problem for Shevy. Not that it'll cause her to gas out but I think it could make her uncomfortable. I also think Blanchfield hits harder as a result of sitting down on her punches more. Shevy has never been a high workrate fighter, I could see her patience costing her rounds.

I was rooting for Grasso to pull off the upset, but since that would be result in an immediate rematch, I'm now rooting for Shevy based on the compelling nature of a potential Shevchenko vs Blanchfield title fight this summer.

 

[xhaydenx]

Erin might be a bit raw for Val, but I still don't mind her chances.

She really has to pressure the fuck out of Shev though. If she was game enough to do it with someone like ANdrade, then she should be fine to do it against Val. Val fights way better off the back foot than Andrade though.

If she can pressure her way into a td, she can finish Val from there, I think. Val is an amazing grappler, but not so amazing off her back or pinned up against the cage. Pena was controlling her easily for a lot of their fight, and Maia had her down for a whole round.

She was really struggling to pressure Aldrich though, who was fighting on the backfoot and countering her pretty easily. Val is a ton better at that than Aldrich.

I just hope we see her get Val down at least once with lots of time to work. Erin's aggressive grappling style is awesome to watch.

 

[gracie_barra_samurai]

She looks too sloppy in the stand up currently.

Valentina will piece her up.

 

[NoSmilez]

Blanchfield is a bigger girl than I thought. She is willing to strike but I don’t think Andrade came in shape.

Val is surgical and she isn’t going to entertain that type of striking. I honestly have never seen Val eat a strike to give one.

 

[Wonderfight]

There is no woman alive who can beat Valentina skill-wise, also will-wise. But I guess both are running out with age and sooner than later someone must do it. But if she is anything close to her prime, she will winn against anyone. Grasso, Fiorot or Blanchfield.

To be more precise, they all get pieced up on feet and there is MAYBE a chance for Blanchfield to win on the ground, but I doubt even that.

 

[ChimRichalds]

If Val wasn't around I 100% would pick Blanchfield as the next champion. The way she took out Andrade was incredibly impressive.

As it stands though, I don't think she can get her game going against Shev. She probably gets pieced up for a wide UD. Would be rooting for Blanchfield though, as much as I like Shevchenko.

 

[meast]

Blanchfield looked slow and a bit stiff on the feet so Val should definitely outpoint her to a decision, but if she screws around too much on the ground I can see her getting caught.

 

[Dreyga Hates You Sherbums]

Although an impressive performance and all , she had big trouble wrestling Andarde in the first round, while Val ragdolled Jessica easily.

She's also smaller than Taila, less powerful. Val took Taila down, there is no doubt she will do the same to Erin.

Yes she does.

The same morons who said she was gonna lose Andrade are gonna come here and over-confidently say she not ready Shevchenko. Don't listen to them.

So, what exactly is her way to victory?

Her path to victory is too close the distance and force Valentina into grappling exchanges. We have seen Valentina get timed and taken down by Santos. We've seen Valentina struggle to up from the bottom against Maia. We know Valentina loves to go into the clinch and the threat of takedown will make Valentina hesitant to throw.

Erin has a wide variety of trips and takedowns and very smart with her entries. Blanchfield can take her down and once it hits the floor she looks faster than Valentina when it comes to moving from position to position and can impose her will there.

What are her strengths and weaknesses?

Strengths is her ground game. She used to compete a lot in the regional BJJ (she won the Eddie Bravo invitational as a teenager) and was going toe to toe with a lot of very respectable opponents in pure BJJ. On paper her BJJ should be too much for most of the girls in her division who have only trained grappling supplementally.

She does tend to get hit when she is is trying to close distance. She has poor form in her striking though she does make good decisions when she is striking. So it's effective even it's ugly. That said her form means she isn't delivering the a lot power in her hits and will lose exchanges against big
punchers

Will she get the next title shot?

Yes, of course. Unless she gets injured she will get that title shot. She is by far the most interesting contender in a developing division.

 

[Post 2 Decision]

Damn, here we go again

Over-hyping the decent fighter who just won a big fight

 

[Bradillac]

Maia of all people was able to control Val on the ground.. Yes, Erin is going to beat Val.

Damn, here we go again

Over-hyping the decent fighter who just won a big fight

As opposed to over hyping a champ who beat a bunch of soccer moms and got a gift decision in her last fight lol.

 

[pinero]

Maia of all people was able to control Val on the ground.. Yes, Erin is going to beat Val.


As opposed to over hyping a champ who beat a bunch of soccer moms and got a gift decision in her last fight lol.

Then every WMMA fighter is a soccer mom but Erin?