The women’s flyweight division is the UFC’s most recent addition to their various weight classes. Separating the strawweight division from the bantamweight at 125 pounds.
The division has only seen two champions, The Ultimate Fighter Season 26 winner Nicco Montano and pound-for-pound star Valentina Shevchenko. A woman who had previously challenged dual-weight champion, Amanda Nunes, for her 135-pound title.
At UFC 266, the division’s best prospect in France’s Manon Fiorot will enter the Octagon for the third time in what promises to be a show-stealing preliminary bout.
Manon Fiorot aims for eighth straight win at UFC 266
Fiorot, 31, signed with the UFC in 2021 after amassing an impressive 5-1 record on the regional scene. After suffering a loss in her debut loss to Bellator standout Leah McCourt in Cage Warriors, Fiorot has been flawless.
Her most recent stretch saw her steamroll opposition in Middle Eastern promotion UAE Warriors, where she captured the flyweight title in 2020. Fiorot’s sophisticated striking and aggressive style has made her a must-see prospect in the flyweight division, as evidenced by her six career knockout stoppages, including in both of her UFC appearances.
“The Beast” debuted with the UFC in 2021 with a second-round technical knockout of Victoria Leonardo, a finish that has since been ranked inside fight database Tapology’s Top 50 Knockouts of the Year (#47). She followed up the breakout performance with another second-round TKO. This time stopping well-regarded fellow prospect and LFA product Tabatha Ricci in June.
In her third Octagon outing, Fiorot will face Brazil’s Mayra Bueno Silva, a four-fight UFC veteran who signed with the promotion after a 2018 win on Dana White’s Contender Series: Brazil.
The 30-year-old Silva is 2-1-1 since joining the UFC roster, having beaten Gillian Robertson and Mara Borello, drawn with Montana De La Rosa, and lost to Maryna Munhoz.
“I’m very happy,” Fiorot told the media after her victory over Ricci in June. “When I fight, the goal is to get the knockout. I want to be the champion.”
She also asked for a top fifteen opponent in her next fight, a wish that did not manifest in the form of Silva. However, with another eye-catching performance at UFC 266, Fiorot could well be on her way to a showcase bout with a contender.
UFC 266 takes place on September 25, inside Las Vegas, Nevada’s T-Mobile Arena. The card kicks off at 6 pm ET with preliminary action on ESPN and ESPN+. The pay-per-view main card follows at 10 pm ET and airs exclusively for US $69.99.
–Field Level Media
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