Erin Blanchfield pulled off a reverse sweep and earned a win over another former UFC champion, defeating Rose Namajunas in the UFC Edmonton co-main event.
Namajunas had early control of the fight, utilizing her striking over the course of the first two rounds. While Blanchfield had bright spots in the opening frame, "Thug Rose's" striking was on complete display in the second, showing the crispness and accuracy that helped elevate her to two UFC strawweight championships previously.
"Cold Blooded" entered tonight with the significant advantage in grappling, and that was on display in the third round. Blanchfield was able to get Namajunas to the ground and controlled the action, but the veteran wasn't going down without a fight.
Blanchfield was able to get her striking going in the fourth round, finding her range and landing her targets with a solid pace. Namajunas, however, battled back and used her pressure and accuracy for a strong final minute.
The #3-ranked contender got the fight back down and controlled the action there in the final stanza, completing the 48-47 decision win on all three judges' scorecards.
Erin Blanchfield Pulls Off Reverse Sweep Over Rose Namajunas In UFC Edmonton Co-Main Event
With the result, Blanchfield rebounded from a loss to Manon Fiorot at UFC Atlantic City in March. Prior to that loss, she had been on a solid winning streak that stretched back to her days with Invicta FC. Her recent wins came against former title challenger Taila Santos and ex-strawweight champion Jéssica Andrade.
Namajunas, meanwhile, is now 2-2 since moving up to flyweight after her second strawweight title reign came to an end. She lost to Fiorot last year in Paris but rebounded with wins over Amanda Ribas and Tracy Cortez in 2024.