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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Farah Hannoun

Daniel Cormier: No reason for UFC’s Manon Fiorot to accept anything other than title fight

Daniel Cormier advises Manon Fiorot not to take another fight unless it’s for the UFC women’s flyweight title.

Fiorot (12-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) extended her winning streak to 12 when she scored a shutout of highly touted contender Erin Blanchfield (12-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) this past Saturday in the UFC on ESPN 54 main event.

If Fiorot does indeed opt to sit out, she will have to wait for flyweight champion Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko to settle their trilogy, which will take place only after the airing of Season 32 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” which is currently being filmed. “TUF 32” premiers June 4 and likely will air until the end of summer.

“If I’m Manon Fiorot, I’m not fighting,” Cormier said on his ESPN show “Good Guy/Bad Guy” with Chael Sonnen. “There’s no reason to go from the fights that she has had and take another one when she’s undefeated in the UFC. She’s looked increasingly better, and she’s just standing on the verge of her championship opportunity.

“I get it. I would like to see her fight Maycee Barber. But the way she looked last weekend, she looks like she’s ready now to fight for the belt, It’s more likely, in my opinion, that she weighs in as the backup fighter, she trains alongside that championship fight, and waits to have her opportunity.”

Fiorot outstruck Blanchfield over the course of five rounds and stuffed her three takedown attempts. Cormier was impressed with her performance and admits she exceeded his expectations.

“Her takedown defense looked really good,” Cormier said. “Her striking, as we know she is known for, looked amazing. She just seemed to be a step ahead of Erin Blanchfield.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 54.

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