When a fighter takes a methodical path to a title shot, the triumph or disappointment at the end of that path often hits harder. Such was the case for Manon Fiorot. The Frenchwoman was identified as a potential title contender from the moment she made her Octagon debut in January 2021. As Valentina Shevchenko ran through contenders faster than the division could produce them, people saw Fiorot’s slick standup game and big frame for the division and wondered whether “The Beast” could unseat “Bullet.”
Fiorot ripped off six wins over the next two years, including a victory over Rose Namajunas that most presumed would grant her a title shot.