A clash between high-ranked flyweights will headline UFC’s first trip to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in over five years.
Rose Namajunas and Erin Blanchfield are expected to collide in the main event of a November 2nd “Fight Night” card from Rogers Place, as announced by the promotion early Thursday morning.
The five-round booking sees former strawweight champ Namajunas continue her climb up to a potential title opportunity at flyweight.
Her campaign at the 125-pound division had a rough start last year, losing a bout to high-ranked contender Manon Fiorot. However, a few months later she was able to get the ball rolling with a five-round decision win against Amanda Ribas.
Namajunas returned last month for another five-round performance, going the distance against short-notice opponent Tracy Cortez. The next booking sets her up for an impressive third five-round appearance within a year, producing a level of activity rarely seen at the top level of MMA.
Blanchfield will be looking to bounce back from a high-profile loss to Manon Fiorot she suffered earlier this year. The main event defeat ended an impressive six-fight winning streak for Blanchfield, which has been built up since 2021 and included a trio of submission victories.
While Fiorot is the clear current frontrunner for the next title opportunity after UFC Flyweight Champion Alexa Grasso and rival Valentina Shevchenko meet in their trilogy fight next month, Blanchfield and Namajunas sit just below her at fourth and fifth in the division’s official rankings. A win at the upcoming Edmonton card won’t guarantee either a title chance but will keep them on the hunt and make them the weight class’s best second option for a bout.
Edmonton has played host to a pair of pay-per-view UFC events in the past. In 2017, the promotion presented UFC 215, which was headlined by a rematch between Amanda Nunes and Valentina Shevchenko. They came back two years later for a featherweight title clash between Max Holloway and Frankie Edgar at UFC 240.
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