Manon Fiorot is looking to earn another title shot by knocking off a former UFC champion.
Fiorot (13-2 MMA, 8-1 UFC) meets ex-flyweight champion Alexa Grasso (17-5-1 MMA, 9-5-1 UFC) on Saturday's UFC Fight Night 288 (Paramount+) main card at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Ariz.
The French fighter started her octagon tenure at 7-0 to earn a shot at UFC flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko. Fiorot gave a valiant effort, but ultimately Shevchenko was too much at UFC 315.
"To be honest, I think it's a good thing I don't win the title, because I think I need more experience and more mindset to learn and to train differently," Fiorot said through an interpreter during Wednesday's Noche UFC media day. "And I think right now, I'm ready to get the champion
now."
After losing to Shevchenko, Fiorot rebounded with a first-round TKO of Jasmine Jasudavicius at UFC Fight Night 262 – her first stoppage win since June 2021.
"Before my fight against Valentina, I just focused on winning, and just winning," Fiorot said. "I don't care to be a point fighter or stuff like that. I just think about win, and that's it. After that, I think about my mindset, and I think I fight to be fun right now, and after I think about the finish."
With Grasso also rebounding with a first-round finish – a Knockout of the Year contender vs. Maycee Barber at UFC Fight Night 271, Fiorot is confident this is a No. 1 contender bout.
"Yeah, 100 percent," Fiorot said. "The winner of this fight gets the next title shot. We talked to the UFC about it."
UFC flyweight champion Shevchenko relinquished her belt due to injury, resulting in Natalia Silva and Wang Cong battling for the vacant title in the UFC 332 headliner on Oct. 3 at Salt Lake City.
"To be honest, I think it's a very good thing for the division because now all the girls can fight and have a lot of fights for years," Fiorot said. "Definitely a good thing. I don't really pay attention about Cong's fight, I never seen her in video, but I know she's a striker. It's a good matchup for her, but I think Natalia is more experienced, and I think she wins this fight."
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Manon Fiorot: UFC told me beating Alexa Grasso gets me title shot
