‘I don’t understand who else can fight for the belt’: Manon Fiorot bets on UFC title claim ahead of Alex Grasso fight

Manon Fiorot has already decided what the win over Alexa Grasso should lead to.“I think the winner of this fight will be the next one to get the belt,” Fiorot told TimesofIndia.com ahead of her flyweight bout against Grasso at UFC Noche on September 13 in Glendale, Arizona. “I’m pretty sure the winner on Saturday night will be fighting for the belt in the next fight.The cover image changed just days before Fiorota’s match. On September 5, the UFC announced that Valentina Shevchenko had vacated the Women’s Flyweight Championship after telling the promotion that she would not be able to compete for at least a year.Shevchenko was scheduled to defend her belt against No. 1 contender Natalia Silva at UFC 332 on October 3, but her injury forced the bout to be canceled. Shevchenko is expected to return and fight for the title once she is healthy.Silva and Wang Cong will now fight for the vacant belt in the main event of UFC 332 in Salt Lake City. Silva is 8-0 in the UFC and has won 14 straight fights, with her recent streak including wins over former champions Rose Namajunas and Grasso, as well as former title challenger Jessica Andrade.

Shevchenko’s departure changes the cover image

For Fiorot, who finished 2nd, the change shortened the path to another title opportunity.The 36-year-old French fighter is 13-2 as a pro and 8-1 in the UFC. Her only UFC defeat came against Shevchenko in a five-round decision at UFC 315 in May 2025 after Fiorot opened her UFC career with seven straight wins. She returned five months later, stopping Jasmine Jasudavicius at 1:14 of the first round.Fiorot also defeated Namajunas and former title challenger Erin Blanchfield during her UFC run.“Yes, I think it’s better for me,” Fiorot said of Shevchenko’s departure. “Because it will allow the whole category to fight more. And I think I will have the title fight faster than if it was Valentina. I would have to wait for Valentina if she won in October.”The immediate obstacle, however, is Grasso, the No. 3 contender and former UFC women’s flyweight champion.The 33-year-old Mexican enters with a professional record of 17-5-1. She became champion in March 2023 after submitting Shevchenko with a fourth-round elbow. Their rematch six months later ended in a split draw before Shevchenko regained the belt via unanimous decision in their third meeting in September 2024.Grasso then lost a unanimous decision to Silva at UFC 315. She bounced back this March with a first-round knockout of Maycee Barber, putting herself back among the division’s top contenders.And that match piqued Fiorota’s interest.“She’s the only girl in the top five that I haven’t fought again,” Fiorot said. “So after her great performance against Maycee, I think it’s time. It’s a good opportunity for us to fight together.”

Fiorot sees no one in front of him

Fiorota’s own case for another title shot rests on the opponents she has already defeated. When asked what argument she would use for being next to the winner in the Silva-Wang title fight, she was blunt.“Because I beat all the contenders in the division. So I don’t know who else can fight for the belt.”For now, however, Fiorot resists the temptation to look beyond Grasso.“To be honest, I try not to think about it too much,” she said. “I’m really focusing on fighting Alexa for now.“Yes, that’s what I want (the title) and what I’d like, but I’m trying not to think about it too much. For now, I’m focusing on Saturday. And then we have time to dream about it and focus on it. That’s my goal. But right now I’m thinking about Alexa and that’s all.”Fiorot had almost 11 months to prepare since her last fight. Jasudavicius’ layoff lasted only 1:14, leaving little time to see the changes she had been working on during that period.“I’ve been working on a lot of things, but I’m not going to say everything now,” Fiorot said. “But I hope to show you a bit more against Grasso. I’ve been working on a lot of skills and things but to be honest I can’t talk about them in the interview because of the game plan and the strategy. But I hope to show more and show all my skills on Saturday night.”The long gap between fights, she said, gave her time to work on areas that might not get the same attention during a conventional fight camp.“Yes, it has allowed me to improve in a lot of things,” Fiorot said. “Because when you train for a fight, you train specifically for a fight. So I was able to work on a lot of things during all those months.”“And yes, I think I’m even better today. I definitely think I’m a much better fighter now than I was 11 months ago.”

The French wave of MMA is closing in on UFC gold

Fiorot is also part of a strong group of French fighters pushing for the top of the UFC. Ciryl Gane is the interim heavyweight champion and #1 heavyweight, Nassourdine Imavov is ranked #3 at middleweight, while Benoît Saint Denis is ranked #6 at lightweight.When asked if the younger French fighters now see her as a point of reference, Fiorot gave an unequivocal answer.“Yes, of course. The French fighters are clearly rising. We are very close to the belt.”“So yeah, I think it’s good for the French MMA scene and for all the young guys coming up. I definitely think the hype of French MMA is big and it’s a good thing for every fighter, every French fighter.”Watch UFC NIGHT – Rodriguez vs Silva on 13 September 2026 from 2:30 IST Live on Sony Sports Ten 2 SD & HD, Sony Sports Ten 3 SD & HD (Hindi), Sony Sports Ten 4 SD (Tamil, Telugu, Kannada) & Sony LIV.