Rose Namajunas vs. Erin Blanchfield is a five-round flyweight fight that serves as the co-main event of tonight’s UFC Fight Night. As Thug Rose fights her way back into title contention, she’ll face a stern challenge against a rising Blanchfield looking to rebound from a tough loss.
UFC odds have Blanchfield a -135 favorite, and Namajunas is a +115 underdog. Here are my free betting picks for UFC Fight Night: Namajunas vs. Blanchfield from Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Blanchfield vs Namajunas prediction and pick
- My fight prediction
Namajunas moneyline (+115 at BET99) - My best bet
Namajunas to win by decision (+185 at BET99)
Fight analysis
After being overpowered by Manon Fiorot in her last fight, Erin Blanchfield gets another chance to regain momentum against former champion Rose Namajunas, who's looked revitalized since moving up to flyweight.
Blanchfield may have been exposed when Fiorot shut down her grappling, and she appeared listless when forced to rely on her striking. While it’s clear Blanchfield isn’t on equal footing with Fiorot, as some suspected, she’ll face a tough challenge against Namajunas.
Namajunas has adapted well to the new division, and there’s no doubt she’s the better striker in this matchup. I’d also venture to say that she’ll be able to keep Blanchfield off her, as Blanchfield isn’t particularly creative when it comes to scoring takedowns, though she does become a more dangerous fighter once she manages to bring her opponents to the ground.
However, this isn’t anything Thug Rose hasn’t encountered before, and with this being a five-round fight, the expectation is that she'll control the fight unless taken down.
At the same time, Namajunas can be taken down, and in this new weight class, she's undersized against larger fighters. Being taken down six times in her last two fights isn’t a good sign and gives Blanchfield a potential opportunity to pin her down and run out the clock.
This could be Blanchfield's best chance at winning, as even if she takes Namajunas down as Amanda Ribas and Tracy Cortez did, those fighters struggled to close the scoring gap due to Roses' dominance in the stand-up exchanges.
It’s understandable why Blanchfield is a slight favorite, but she’s coming off a lopsided loss that suggests she might have been pushed up the ranks too quickly. Facing a skilled former champion who might still have another title run in her isn’t an ideal rebound fight for the developing Blanchfield.
Namajunas will likely make things challenging for Blanchfield, who will be significantly outmatched in striking. She’ll be able to fend off her younger opponent’s takedown attempts, frequently beat her to the punch, and secure her third consecutive victory.
Best best analysis
I don’t doubt Rose can maintain a high-intensity striking battle for five rounds and potentially deliver a decisive beating to Blanchfield. If Fiorot made Blanchfield struggle, Namajunas’ sneaky power and resilience should be enough to wear her down.
Blanchfield’s size and durability will help her withstand Namajunas’ offense, but it will likely only allow her to last the distance in defeat. Namajunas winning by decision is my best bet for this fight.
Erin Blanchfield vs Rose Namajunas odds
Method of Victory | Blanchfield | Namajunas |
---|---|---|
To win outright | -135 | +115 |
To win by KO/TKO | +1650 | +675 |
To win by decision | +140 | +190 |
To win by submission | +450 | +1900 |
Draw | +2500 | +2500 |
Odds as of 11-2
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Erin Blanchfield vs Rose Namajunas tale of the tape
Blanchfield | Namajunas | |
---|---|---|
25 | Age | 32 |
5-foot-4 | Height | 5-foot-5 |
125 lbs | Weight | 125 lbs |
68 inches | Reach | 65 inches |
12-2 (2 KOs) | Record | 13-6 (2 KOs) |
Not intended for use in MA.
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