Erin Blanchfield (8-1, a few finishes), the Elmwood Park, N.J., native who received her 1st two UFC bouts final year, fights for the 1st time as a 23-calendar year-previous flyweight on Saturday, June 4 against veteran JJ Aldrich (11-4, two finishes) on the preliminary part of the next UFC Fight Evening from UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The Post’s Scott Fontana chatted with Blanchfield on Tuesday through Zoom for this week’s Post Combat Job interview.
Q: You experienced been attending Montclair State but recently put college on maintain to target on preventing. How was it balancing these two at the identical time?
A: School for me was extremely a great deal so just a position. I just went, did what I had to do, and depart. So it was definitely more durable balancing it. I form of produced a offer with my mom and dad: As soon as I got into the UFC, I wished to place faculty aside since you can often go again to university. You don’t normally get the possibility of becoming a experienced athlete at a single of the maximum degrees. That was our offer.
Q: You only turned pro 4 several years ago and this is your third UFC struggle. What’s the experience been like finding to this degree so quick?
A: Due to the fact I have been all around the fitness centers for pretty significantly my entire lifestyle, I have viewed other fighters development, and I have noticed what they went by. So I saw the blueprint right before I even did it myself and understood the steps I needed to choose like likely into amateurs and then going into the regional professionals, and then making an attempt to make up wins there and then likely into Invicta. Especially as a female, going into Invicta was a big issue for me to obtain working experience from substantial-amount women just before the UFC.
Q: Are you fascinated in a rematch one working day with Tracy Cortez, who also has not shed in the UFC?
A: It’s even now my only decline, and she’s been on a 10-fight get streak. And we’re both of those correct on that breaking into the rankings situation, so I truly feel like that struggle will definitely materialize all over again. And I’m fired up for that.
Q: You have obtained Aldrich nevertheless who is a person of the much more veteran flyweights on the roster. Do you watch this as a phase up in opposition?
A: I absolutely do. She’s absolutely the most knowledgeable girl ever fought.
Q: How do you evaluate Aldrich as an opponent?
A: I’ve watched all her tapes, and my coaches have viewed around it. I really feel like she’s experienced a identical type a great deal of her career. She has sharp fingers. She’s a lefty she’s truly my fourth lefty in a row, which is rather scarce.
Q: You experienced been given a general public warning just lately from USADA for failure to get a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) for a prescription treatment. Can you take me by way of what transpired?
A: That was a minor misunderstanding on my section. I went to a skin doctor due to the fact I was possessing some zits troubles, and she approved me a product. And I know that I’m intended to, as a UFC fighter, you are tested by USADA, and you are meant to appear up almost everything or ask them everything you ingest or place on your skin, but I didn’t assume anything of it due to the fact it’s just an acne breakouts cream. I have utilized other individuals, ones that you can invest in at the drugstore. So I’ve employed acne lotions in the past, but this was a prescription just one [spironolactone]. And the compound in it is technically an unlawful diuretic, but I experienced a prescription from the health care provider and I was just employing it, like, topical for pimples. So at the time I discussed to them that I acquired all the things from the medical doctor and all the information and facts, I bought a TUE from USADA and the athletic commission. But given that I did not do it prior to telling them, they gave me a community warning. But I’m very good to fight, and there is no suspension or nearly anything.
Q: Was that a fantastic lesson for you this early in your occupation?
A: Certainly. You must absolutely glance up everything you are ingesting or putting on your pores and skin, like each one factor. Let them know. Get any TUEs you will need if it’s one thing you truly require. It’s surely a good lesson. I’m thankful that [there are] no suspensions or anything at all. It was a very effortless circumstance and, yeah, settled.
Q: Do you recall your very first expertise observing MMA?
A: My father was a massive MMA lover. He’s been viewing UFC considering the fact that, like, UFC 1 in the ‘90s, so he normally experienced it on. I did not actually get started watching it until eventually Strikeforce arrived on and there [were] girls preventing in it like Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate. … So I just can't definitely recall, essentially, the to start with time due to the fact I truly feel like it is constantly been on in our household. But I remember the very first impactful a person for me was watching Miesha Tate and Ronda Rousey combat for the Strikeforce title. That’s the initial battle [for which] I actually paid out attention and watched the whole battle.
Q: Tate is now in your division. What do you consider of a potential fight with her down the road?
A: I hope I get to combat Miesha Tate. That’d be so interesting. I come to feel like in men’s MMA, you see far more individuals combating their idols. They’d be like, “I’ve been seeing this man or woman considering the fact that I was a child, and I get to struggle them.” I experience like in women’s battling, you have not found that as substantially due to the fact it just hasn’t been close to as extended. But I experience like that would definitely be my moment. You served me get into this, but now it’s like, I want to fight. It variety of goes complete circle.
Q: You can fight any person who has ever lived. Who do you decide?
A: I know you’re stating anybody, but I definitely want to locate Valentina [Shevchenko] 1 day, I know she plans on battling for a very long time. I know it usually takes a minimal even though to get up to that title shot, but she’s somebody I definitely want to struggle ahead of I’m completed.
Q: Typical walkaround weight concerning fights?
A: All around like 140ish [pounds].
Q: Regular fat on struggle night?
A: I normally get again to, like, 135.
Q: What battle from your regional scene days need to enthusiasts watch?
A: If you are a placing fan, you must undoubtedly go again and view my fight towards Victoria Leonardo because that was a good head kick finish I got.
Q: Is there a good MMA movie?
A: I really don't imagine so. I really feel like the MMA films that have appear out are a minimal cartoonish in a sense. They are not, probably, tremendous serious. If I experienced to make a motion picture, I’d unquestionably make it a great deal a lot more genuine.
Q: Favourite film?
A: The “Insidious” flicks.
Q: Favored out of doors exercise?
A: Go to the beach and cling out at the seashore and do things there. When I went to Florida, we did the jet skis. I want to test browsing way too. I’ve by no means attempted browsing. I like having out, specially all through the summer season. I’m certainly significantly more of a summer time action person.
Q: Most loved online video game?
A: I’m not truly a video match man or woman.
Q: What’s a ideal day for you that doesn’t require battling?
A: I get up and have a gradual morning have a awesome breakfast with mates. And then we go out to the beach front and have a complete seashore day, and we do some seaside pursuits, appear back again, shower up, and then go out for a pleasant evening meal. And then, just relax the relaxation of the night.
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