NEW YORK – Erin Blanchfield got the payback she’d been waiting five years for. On Saturday at UFC 322 inside Madison Square Garden, Blanchfield (14-2 MMA, 8-1 UFC) submitted Tracy Cortez (12-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC) via rear-naked choke at 4:44 of Round 2 in their women’s flyweight bout, avenging a razor-thin and heavily debated split-decision loss from their 2019 Invicta FC meeting.
Ground Game Was The Key
As expected, Blanchfield’s clearest edge came on the mat. From the opening bell, she persistently hunted takedowns, chaining attempts and forcing Cortez to fight off the fence and defend level changes rather than freely open up her striking.