Blanchfield’s fight with Jessica Andrade was viewed as the fighting equivalent of the prospect taking the MCATs or LSATs — a top-end entrance exam to determine if the ultra-talented 23-year-old was, in fact, ready to be a bona fide contender in the flyweight division.
“Cold Blooded” not only aced the test, but finished in no time flat, too, making it look relatively easy.
We often talk about athletes taking a step up in competition, but this was clearing an entire flight of stairs.
Blanchfield went from facing Molly McCann — a solid, veteran battler — at Madison Square Garden in November to dispatching a former strawweight champion and flyweight title challenger 97 seconds into the second round. How she did it was just as impressive, as well.
After trading with Andrade for much of the first round and getting stuffed on a couple different takedown attempts, Blanchfield hit a beautiful trip as the two came together in a body lock, and from there, it was done. She effortlessly floated into side control and quickly climbed onto Andrade’s back as the Brazilian made a tactical mistake, and as soon as she exposed her neck, the surging American laced up the choke, never really bothering with her hooks until things were all but over.
There are “yeah, but…” arguments that some will want to make to take away from Blanchfield’s achievement, but the bottom line is that she showed zero hesitation in accepting a fight with Andrade as her short-notice replacement opponent and then finished her in less than seven minutes.
Blanchfield followed up her breakthrough effort opposite Andrade with a gutsy, grimy, unanimous decision win over recent title challenger Taila Santos, whom she was originally slated to face in February, to put herself on the short list of potential title challengers in the 125-pound weight class heading into next year.
