Natalia Silva: Blanchfield, Jasudavicius in title eliminator

Natalia Silva, the UFC women’s flyweight champion for less than two weeks, could find out who her first challenger is this Saturday (Oct. 17). Erin Blanchfield and Jasmine Jasudavicius meet in the co-main event of UFC Edmonton at Rogers Place in Canada, and both called the fight a title eliminator at Wednesday’s media day.

The main card starts at 8 p.m. ET. Joaquin Buckley faces Canada’s Mike Malott in the welterweight main event.

The belt Shevchenko left behind

Silva won the title at UFC 332 on Oct. 3 in Salt Lake City. The Brazilian from Pingo-d’Água, in the state of Minas Gerais, who trains at Team Borracha, beat China’s Wang Cong by unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46) for the belt Valentina Shevchenko vacated because of injury.

It was her ninth win in nine UFC fights. Before the title bout, she had beaten three former champions in a row: Jessica Andrade, Alexa Grasso and Rose Namajunas.

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The UFC’s choice of Wang Cong for the vacant belt did not sit well with the contenders in line. Blanchfield, No. 4 in the official rankings, told Cageside Press she asked for the shot. “When I heard about the vacant title, I wanted that shot. I did ask for it, because I was already prepping for this fight,” she said. “It just wasn’t meant for me at the time. They wanted to use Wang Cong.”

Blanchfield, the division’s jiu-jitsu black belt

Blanchfield is 14-2 and holds a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. According to her official UFC profile, she became the first woman and youngest flyweight champion of the Eddie Bravo Invitational, at 18.

Five of her 14 wins came by submission. In the UFC, she caught JJ Aldrich in a guillotine, Molly McCann in a kimura, and Jessica Andrade and Tracy Cortez with rear-naked chokes. She also has good memories of Edmonton: in November 2024, she beat Rose Namajunas there by unanimous decision over five rounds.

“I feel like with a really dominant performance on Saturday, that should put me right in my place,” said Blanchfield, who added that nothing has been promised to her.

Jasudavicius and her record against Brazilians

Jasudavicius, ranked No. 6, is 15-4 and fights at home. The Canadian built much of her UFC run against Brazilians, with wins over Priscila Cachoeira, Ariane da Silva, Mayra Bueno Silva, Jessica Andrade and Karine Silva.

Three of those wins came by choke. Cachoeira tapped to an anaconda, Ariane da Silva to a D’Arce in Edmonton, and Andrade to a rear-naked choke at 2:40 of the first round at UFC 315.

The only Brazilian who has beaten her in the UFC is Silva herself. They met on June 18, 2022, in Austin, Texas, in Silva’s UFC debut, and Silva won by unanimous decision.

“I think whoever wins this fight does expect a title shot,” Jasudavicius told Cageside Press. “I think that this fight is a title eliminator.” She also said it would be an honor to fight for the belt in Toronto, where, according to Sherdog, the UFC is reportedly targeting an event next year.

The flyweight pecking order

Nothing is guaranteed. The UFC has not announced Silva’s first defense, and the official rankings still list Shevchenko, Alexa Grasso and Manon Fiorot ahead of both women. Fiorot has already beaten them both: Blanchfield by decision and Jasudavicius by TKO in 1:14.

October has been up and down for Brazilian women in the UFC. Last weekend, Alice Pereira beat a ranked bantamweight, while Ketlen Vieira was suspended for doping after her fight with Cris Cyborg. Brazil will also be represented in Edmonton by heavyweight Jhonata Diniz, who faces Tanner Boser on the prelims.

Who do you want to see challenge Natalia Silva first: Blanchfield, Jasudavicius or Shevchenko once she is healthy? Let us know in the comments.

Read more:

• Alice Pereira beats ranked opponent at UFC and fires back: “My division is more alive than ever”
• Ketlen Vieira suspended for doping after Cris Cyborg fight
• UFC tonight: start time, seven Brazilians and a jiu-jitsu black belt in the main event