Erin Blanchfield did not secure a win at UFC Vegas 107, but she will receive compensation as if she had competed and won.
The highly-anticipated five-round main event featuring the New Jersey flyweight was abruptly canceled moments before the athletes were set to enter the octagon. Her scheduled opponent, Maycee Barber, was not medically cleared to participate. This outcome marked a disappointing end to fight week for Blanchfield, but she is not leaving empty-handed.
Following the unfortunate cancellation, the UFC decided to pay Blanchfield her full fight purse, including both her guaranteed show money and the potential win bonus.
Erin Blanchfield`s manager, Oren Hodak of KO Reps, confirmed this development to MMA Fighting, having initially shared the news regarding her payment on Twitter.
Considering the challenging circumstances, including Barber`s last-minute withdrawal and a previous weight miss on Friday (resulting in a 20 percent purse forfeiture for Barber), receiving her full pay represents the most favorable outcome for Blanchfield.
While competing on Saturday was her clear preference, securing her full payment allows Blanchfield to properly rest and recover from her completed training camp before scheduling her next appearance in the UFC.
Immediately after the main event was scrapped, Blanchfield ruled out the possibility of rescheduling a fight against Barber in the future. She stated her intention to pursue a top-ranked opponent for her next bout.
Speaking at the post-fight press conference, Blanchfield said, “No, I would not want to book another fight with her. I would like to reassess, see who’s available.”
She further added, “I still want to fight within the top five, still push towards that title fight. I think I need to talk to my manager, talk to Mick [Maynard], see what can happen.”
Coming off a significant win against former UFC strawweight champion Rose Namajunas, Blanchfield remains a prominent contender in the flyweight division. She is widely seen as a potential challenger to the current queen, Valentina Shevchenko, who recently defended her title by defeating Manon Fiorot at UFC 315 in May.
