Will Niçoise Manon Fiorot be, before Ciryl Gane in the heavyweights, the first French fighter to win a world belt from the UFC, the biggest MMA league in the world? It went well anyway. The French opened the doors to a fight for the world title by beating this October 22 in Abu Dhabi the world number 1 flyweight, the American Katlyn Chookagian.
Forfeited on September 3 at the Accor Arena during UFC Paris because of knee pain, the Niçoise may play her next fight for the world title and she is already dreaming that it will take place in Paris for the next coming from the UFC. Or better yet, at her home in Nice.
Manon Fiorot won by unanimous decision of the judges and could therefore now face the Peruvian Valentina Shevchenko, holder of the world belt since December 2018. The first round was balanced, between two fighters with fairly similar styles, Fiorot showed much more aggressiveness from the start of the second round.
“The Beast” is ready for the title
“I knew it was going to be a tough fight, she’s ranked number one, it’s not for nothing. After I managed to win this fight, I would have liked to finish but I won, it’s already good, ”underlines Fiorot. Cautious, Chookagian acted mainly on the counter, while the clan of Fiorot asked for more rhythm. “She made an intelligent fight as usual, recognizes the Niçoise. She disengaged a lot so it was complicated to touch her and do what I wanted to do so finish the fight. She played her game as usual but I expected it.
If the American tried to put more volume in the last round, she too often missed the target, while Fiorot chained the kicks and managed to put his opponent on the ground, but without being able to keep him there. Enough all the same for a unanimous decision in his favor. “At the end of the fight, I knew that I had won, detailed “The Beast”, his nickname. I knew the first (round) was close but I watched a bit and knew what to do to win the two and the three”.
This is the 6th victory in a row in MMA for the former French snowboard champion who now has ten wins for one defeat in the discipline. Unless Unless she opts for an intermediate challenge, her 11th fight in a few months could be for the title. “I need a big fight before getting into the cage for the title, she told us this summer. At that time, I will be ready. There she is.