Manon Fiorot defeated top-ranked flyweight Katlyn Chookagian via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) at the fight of the UFC 280 gala night in Abu Dhabi.
The French MMA fighter can claim a fight for the title that belongs to Valentina Shevchenko, but she herself preferred to do one more fight first before challenging the long-time hegemon in the division.
Katlyn Chookagian (18-5-0) disappointed by not taking advantage of the opportunity to build on her No 1 ranking status – she took the slow-paced first round before falling flatly in the second to the more active Manon Fiorot.
The third round could have been awarded to either of the two until the last minute, when the Frenchwoman scored a takedown and with that, largely tipped the scales in her favor.
With the victory, Manon Fiorot has the second longest successful streak in the flyweight category – 5 consecutive victories, trailing only the champion Valentina Shevchenko, who has 9.
Manon Fiorot is a French mixed martial artist, currently competing in the Flyweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Her personal MMA record is 10-1-0 (W-L-D). She is a Black belt in Karate and a Purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
