Pre-fight discussion UFC on ESPN 54: Blanchfield vs. Fiorot Sat. March 30 Prelims 7pm ET ESPN+ Main 10pm ET ESPN, ESPN+

[PurpleStorm]

Saturday it's a fight night from thunder road to your home with significant extras. First, it's before a hyped up audience born to run to Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Second, the card features impactful main and co-main events. Serious fireworks for fight fans born in the USA or elsewhere. Many fighters and their teams did their growing up in Jersey where they train. What are your thoughts on the card? Which fights are tougher than the rest? Any so close to call we're just dancing in the dark? Share your thoughts during fight week up until weighs ins and play by play discussion. All we ask is that you follow board rules and keep the conversation civil. We'll update and add content throughout the week. Feel free to add your own relevant thoughts, Jersey songs, recipes and haiku. Have fun!

Sat. March 30 Prelims 7pm ET ESPN+ Main 10pm ET ESPN, ESPN+​

UFC ON ESPN 54 - BLANCHFIELD VS. FIOROT​

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)
MAR 30, 2024

BOARDWALK HALL, ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY, UNITED STATES

​

ERIN BLANCHFIELD​	MANON FIOROT​
12-1-0​	11-1-0​

​

MAIN EVENT
WOMEN'S FLYWEIGHT
​

MATCH​	FIGHTERS​
13​	Vicente Luque 22-9-1​	Welterweight​	Joaquin Buckley 17-6-0​
12​	Chris Weidman 15-7-0​	Middleweight​	Bruno Silva 23-10-0​
11​	Nursulton Ruziboev 33-8-2​	Middleweight​	Sedriques Dumas 9-1-0​
10​	Virna Jandiroba 19-3-0​	Strawweight​	Lupita Godinez 12-3-0​
9​	Andre Petroski 10-2-0​	Middleweight​	Jacob Malkoun 7-3-0​
8​	Nate Landwehr 17-5-0​	Featherweight​	Jamall Emmers 20-7-0​
7​	Bill Algeo 18-7-0​	Featherweight​	Kyle Nelson 15-5-1​
6​	Julio Arce 18-6-0​	Featherweight​	Herbert Burns 11-4-0​
5​	Dennis Buzukja 11-4-0​	Featherweight​	Connor Matthews 7-1-0​
4​	Victoria Dudakova 8-0-0​	Flyweight​	Melissa Gatto 8-2-2​
3​	Angel Pacheco 7-2-0​	Bantamweight​	Caolan Loughran 8-1-0​
2​	Chidi Njokuani 22-10-0​	Middleweight​	Rhys McKee 13-5-1​
1​	Ibo Aslan 12-1-0​	Light Heavyweight​	Anton Turkalj 8-3-0​

UFC on ESPN 54 - Blanchfield vs. Fiorot

UFC on ESPN 54 - Blanchfield vs. Fiorot pits Erin Cold Blooded Blanchfield vs Manon The Beast Fiorot fight in Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States on Mar 30, 2024.

www.sherdog.com

​

Date/Time: Saturday 03.30.2024 at 07:00 PM ET
U.S. Broadcast: ESPN
Preliminary Card: ESPN+
Promotion: Ultimate Fighting Championship
Ownership: Endeavor
Venue: Boardwalk Hall
Location: Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Enclosure: Octagon
MMA Bouts: 14

Shillan and Duffy: UFC on ESPN 54 Preview​

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BEN DUFFY KEITH SHILLAN MAR 25, 2024COMMENTS
Keith and Ben preview UFC on ESPN 54, with background, analysis, detailed predictions and picks for all 14 fights. Side topics include the NCAA Wrestling Championships, Keith's brush with organized crime, and the proper way to fight a treadmill.



0:00 Intro: Clearing out the pipes
3:37 Ibo Aslan (12-1) vs. Anton Turkalj (8-3)
11:46 Chidi Njokuani (22-10) vs. Rhys McKee (13-5-1)
19:00 Angel Pacheco (7-2) vs. Caolan Loughran (8-1)
25:10 Victoria Dudakova (8-0) vs. Melissa Gatto (8-2-2)
31:51 Dennis Buzukja (11-4) vs. Connor Matthews (7-1)
43:23 Julio Arce (18-6) vs. Herbert Burns (11-4)
54:35 Bill Algeo (18-7) vs. Kyle Nelson (15-5-1)
1:03:30 Nate Landwehr (17-5) vs. Jamall Emmers (20-7)
1:09:30 Andre Petroski (10-2) vs. Jacob Malkoun (7-3)
1:20:14 Virna Jandiroba (19-3) vs. Lupita Godinez (12-3)
1:31:33 Nursulton Ruziboev (33-8-2, 2 NC) vs. Sedriques Dumas (9-1)
1:38:47 Chris Weidman (15-7) vs. Bruno Silva (23-10)
1:54:38 Vicente Luque (22-9-1) vs. Joaquin Buckley (17-6)
2:05:12 Erin Blanchfield (12-1) vs. Manon Fiorot (11-1)
2:15:11 A quick rundown of all the picks

Shillan and Duffy: UFC on ESPN 54 Preview

Keith and Ben preview UFC Atlantic City, with background, analysis, detailed predictions and picks for all 14 fights.

www.sherdog.com

 

[Luthien]

This card should be better than the last one, right, right?!

 

[Luthien]

Well I'm hopeful Best card ever!!

 

[TITS]

What a godawful main event. Two WMMA main events in a row, and the last one was pretty bad too. Should have just made Weidman's farewell fight the main event.

 

[PurpleStorm]

What a godawful main event. Two WMMA main events in a row, and the last one was pretty bad too. Should have just made Weidman's farewell fight the main event.

I think this main event is gonna be great. Both are undefeated in the UFC. Fiorot is an outstanding striker, throws hands and likes being the aggressor. Blanchfield's a strong grappler who doesn't mind wading into the pocket, doesn't back down. It should be night and day from the last main event, which was not so exciting.

Any other fights on the card that you look forward to, besides Weidman's farewell fight?

 

[PurpleStorm]

This card should be better than the last one, right, right?!

Yes yes.

 

[Gio]

Thanks for the thread @Purp!

Let's go Erin!

 

[Luthien]

 

[HI SCOTT NEWMAN]

It will be so nice and refreshing to have a UFC Fight Night not at the church graveyard, oops sorry I meant UFC Apex . That makes it better before its even started!

Would love to see Weidman finally get a win. Lets go Weidman!.

 

[Luthien]

It will be so nice and refreshing to have a UFC Fight Night not at the church graveyard

I didn't even realize, now I'm double excited!! Will have to make a new hype AV

 

[Gladiator24]

Blanchfield will win

 

[PurpleStorm]

Thanks for the thread @Purp!

Let's go Erin!

You're welcome gio. Thanks for your excellent threads too!

As you know I'm rooting for Blanchfield who I've been watching since her first pro fights. It was apparent early on she had a lot of talent and she has greatly improved her striking and footwork. Heard about Fiorot a while ago from those saying she should be in the UFC. Her last couple of fights have been impressive.

So really it's may the best woman win. By the way the winner of this fight should fight the winner of Grasso vs. Shevchenko for the title. I think the winner of this fight would do well against either of them.

 

[Jackonfire]

You're welcome gio. Thanks for your excellent threads too!

As you know I'm rooting for Blanchfield who I've been watching since her first pro fights. It was apparent early on she had a lot of talent and she has greatly improved her striking and footwork. Heard about Fiorot a while ago from those saying she should be in the UFC. Her last couple of fights have been impressive.

So really it's may the best woman win. By the way the winner of this fight should fight the winner of Grasso vs. Shevchenko for the title. I think the winner of this fight would do well against either of them.

I'm definitely looking forward to the main event, more so than last weekend. And I agree, the winner should get the next title shot. I'll be rooting for Blanchfield. I like the way she fights.

And I always like watching Loopy fight. She has a nice little streak going right now but Jandiroba is a step up and will be a good test.

Dudakova vs. Gatto seem evenly matched.

Looks like its going to be Ladies Night in Atlantic City Saturday night. Thanks for the thread purp.


New Jersey band

 

[WoozyFailGuy]

Sad to see Weidman go as a layup for Bruno (who is deserving of one but still) because after that Tavares fight I can safely say Chris has nothing left in the tank anymore.

 

[PurpleStorm]

I'm definitely looking forward to the main event, more so than last weekend. And I agree, the winner should get the next title shot. I'll be rooting for Blanchfield. I like the way she fights.

And I always like watching Loopy fight. She has a nice little streak going right now but Jandiroba is a step up and will be a good test.

Dudakova vs. Gatto seem evenly matched.

Looks like its going to be Ladies Night in Atlantic City Saturday night. Thanks for the thread purp.


New Jersey band

My pleasure Jack. It's the least I can do to give back a bit, considering all the time you've spent creating and hosting the play by play threads along with weigh ins and post fight press conferences. Honestly I don't think I could do all that.

Yeah Loopy vs. Jandiroba is a good fight. I haven't reviewed anything yet but I'll probably pick Loopy.

How did the PbP discussions originate here? What were they like in the past? Did people argue more over their favorite fighters and whatnot? What's similar and what's different from before I joined? I'm still a relative newb considering the experience of many play by play posters. Who made these threads before you started doing them?

As always you picked up on the musical cues. Lots of great artists from New Jersey, including some doo wop bands whose names I can't recall and don't feel like looking up. The Chairman of the Board Frank Sinatra is from Hoboken New Jersey. I'm fairly sure Patti Smith is a Jersey girl.

 

[BEATDOWNS]

Chidi Njokuani (22-10) vs. Rhys McKee (13-5-1)
Bill Algeo (18-7) vs. Kyle Nelson (15-5-1)
Nate Landwehr (17-5) vs. Jamall Emmers (20-7)
Andre Petroski (10-2) vs. Jacob Malkoun (7-3)
Nursulton Ruziboev (33-8-2, 2 NC) vs. Sedriques Dumas (9-1)
Chris Weidman (15-7) vs. Bruno Silva (23-10)
Vicente Luque (22-9-1) vs. Joaquin Buckley (17-6)
Erin Blanchfield (12-1) vs. Manon Fiorot (11-1)

imo

 

[TITS]

Any other fights on the card that you look forward to, besides Weidman's farewell fight?

Vicente Luque vs. J. Buckley170 lbs
N. Ruziboev vs. S. Dumas185 lbs
Bill Algeo vs. Kyle Nelson145 lbs
Chidi Njokuani vs. Rhys McKee170 lbs
Nate Landwehr vs. Jamall Emmers145 lbs
Julio Arce vs. Herbert Burns145 lbs
C. Matthews vs. Dennis Buzukja145 lbs
Ibo Aslan vs. Anton Turkalj205 lbs
Andre Petroski vs. Jacob Malkoun185 lbs

I don't know who those 135ers are on the opening prelim, so I left that one off.

 

[PurpleStorm]

By The Numbers: Erin Blanchfield vs. Manon Fiorot​

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ABHISHEK NAMBIAR MAR 25, 2024 COMMENTS​

Amid a constellation of renowned names and high-stakes championship duels at UFC 281, Erin Blanchfield seemed to drift slightly under the radar with relatively muted fanfare. Meanwhile, her opponent for that night, Molly McCann was cruising in on a three-fight win streak with significant hype behind her. Yet, as the curtains closed on an electrifying evening of combat at the Madison Square Garden in New York, Blanchfield undeniably carved her place amongst those who etched the boldest narratives and hijacked the momentum of her opponent. That win marked her fourth triumph inside the Ultimate Fighting Championship Octagon, and the American rides on a nine-fight win streak leading up to her next assignment againstManon Fiorot at UFC on ESPN 54.

Meanwhile, Fiorot rapidly rose to the No. 3 spot in the flyweight rankings, leveraging on the strength of some of the best striking in any of the women’s divisions. Undefeated since her professional MMA debut, “The Beast” has rattled off eleven straight victories. While her eyes are on the title fight, she has been tasked with a mammoth challenge to take on the No.2-ranked Blanchfield. With undeniable title ramifications tied to this matchup, the upcoming event set for March. 30 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, harbors the potential to serve as the seminal juncture propelling either fighter towards the summit of championship glory. With that, let’s take a look at the statistical intricacies that weave the fighters’ narrative together:

6: With six wins apiece in the UFC, Blanchfield and Fiorot share the seventh spot on the UFC women’s flyweight all-time list.

3: Three of Blanchfield’s UFC victories have come by finish, enough for a share of the No.4 spot in the 125-pound division.

3: She also holds the second spot for most submission victories in divisional history with three submission wins.

6: “Cold Blooded” boasts a six-fight win streak, tied for second most—again with Fiorot—in the division.

55.1%: Blanchfield is the divisional leader for control time percentage, boasting a staggering rate of 55.1%.

52.8%: The American is ranked sixth for significant strike accuracy with 52.8% of her strikes finding their mark.

2.26: The fact that she’s ranked fifth for the best striking differential at 2.26 underscores her ability to overwhelm and stifle her opponents.

2: With two KO/TKO wins, Fiorot is the third-best in the divisional rankings for that attribute.

0.22%: With an impressively low bottom position rate of 0.22%, Fiorot holds the second spot on the ladder, highlighting how difficult it is for opponents to control her on the ground..

2.74: Fiorot boasts a striking differential of 2.74, the second-best in the division, a testament to her well-renowned standup prowess.

By The Numbers: Erin Blanchfield vs. Manon Fiorot

The streaking contenders will bring dueling six-fight win streaks to their probable flyweight title eliminator bout on Saturday in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

www.sherdog.com

 

[TempleoftheDog]

This week the UFC sets down in Atlantic City, NJ for what I think is a nice little FN card.

My friend and I went there in May, 2014 for the 50th Anniversary of The WHO. Joan Jett opened the show. It was in the same venue as this UFC card. We had a great time there.

There is some nice wmma on this card. And you know I have an affinity for the ladies. With that in mind.

Dudikova vs Gatto..

Dudikova is 8-0 with 1 DWCS win, and 2 UFC wins. Hopefully somebody gets this girl a Wiki page after this 3rd UFC fight.
Gatto is on a 2 fight skid. Losing to Cortez (UD) and Ariane (SD).

Dudikova has no great wins yet. And I’m not sure of her ceiling yet. But I figure she beats Gatto.

Dudikova by Decision.

Virna (5) vs Loopy (10).. Very excited for this one.

Virna is no joke. She’s riding a 2 fight win streak vs Angie (UD), and Marina (UD). She’s still solid, imo. But, she does turn 36 in May. She lost to Ribas (UD) before that Angie fight.

Loopy has built a solid fanbase in at least 3 countries. Mexico, where she was born. Canada, where she moved to at 13. And has a dual citizenship with Mexico. And the US where she fights the most. She’s just very fun, and respectful, imo. And it’s a pleasure to say I’m a fan of hers.

She holds/shares 2 badass UFC records. The quickest turnaround in between 2 UFC fights. She fought 2 Saturdays in a row (it’s been tied since). And she’s the only woman in the UFC to win 4 fights in one calendar year (it was actually 7 months).

So clearly this is a really big opportunity. She can jump into the top 5 with a win. That would be really cool, imo. And I’d be very pleased for her. She’s 6-1 in her last 7. With the loss being to Angie, 5 fights ago. And her wins aren’t over complete cans either. She has some very respectable wins on her resume. She’s much younger, and is really hungry. And seems to be improving incrementally as time moves on. She gets decisions. But they aren’t shitty fights, imo.

You know my prediction here. Loopy by Decision. I really hope she gets it done.

Canadian girls kick ass.

This Weidman vs Silva fight.. Fuck me sideways. I don’t even want to think about it. But there are real memories there. So..

Weidman turns 40 in June. Let us harken back to another time, and place.

He first really caught my eye in his 3rd UFC fight. He put Tom Lawlor to sleep with a D’arce in round 1. Then he beat Maia by UD.

We’re into 2012 at this point. I had a very attractive gf from the Philippines at the time. Munoz was Weidman’s next fight. Munoz was 12-2 going into that fight. My gf was so excited. She had gotten into the sport in the previous 2 years because of me. Weidman fucking battered, and bloodied Munoz, brutally. The JBG was represented well in the refs of the day. My gf was broken hearted.

Weidman’s next fight was Silva. It was a couple months before I moved to the US. So July, 2013. Long story short.. I met a dude at a peeler bar I was watching at. He was a big Silva fan. We bet $20 on the winner. That dude was almost as broken hearted as my ex-gf. lol. But he paid up, and even bought me a few beers, as well. A good dude.

I just had a feeling it was coming. The wrestling is what made the choice pretty clear to me. And we all know what happened. I’ve never been a fan, or a hater. So I’m neutral on the guy. But this needs to be his LAST full combat fight ever again. And Bruno is durable as fuck. He’s never been KO/TKO. And he’s only ranked mid-20s, or something world wide. I don’t see Weidman winning this fight. I just hope he at least goes the distance. Or gets a stoppage of his own.

I’m taking Silva.

The ME Of The EVENING..

This is as high level as it gets in this sport. Erin (2) vs Manon (3). Both with only one loss on their records early in their careers. 12-1 vs 11-1.

Where to start? There’s too much to mention. So I think I’ll skip the big breakdown for this one.

When you have a very good striker. Fighting a very good wrestler.. I take the wrestler 90% of the time. Erin is more rounded, and younger. And that girl is confident, and hungry. She has already beaten Andrade, and Taila. And many people believe Taila beat Shevchenko. You can’t just ignore that.

Manon has a few very good UFC wins. But except for Rose with an injury to her finger. There are no marquee performances, since her first 2 UFC fights, imo. She has great stand up. But her last 4 fights have all gone the distance. And we must remember. She got injured, and needed knee surgery as the number 1 contender. She was out 11 months. This is only her second fight since October, 2022.

But I’ve been calling Erin a future champion for a while now. So, it’s an easy pick. Even if the fight doesn’t go that way.

Erin by Decision.

In homage to both the ladies, and my memories of Atlantic City. I present to you. The walkout song of the woman that took wmma mainstream. Performed by a female that went into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the very next year, in 2015.



Edit.
Thank you for the thread @PurpleStorm

 

[TempleoftheDog]

I didn't even realize, now I'm double excited!! Will have to make a new hype AV