Fiorot has already decided what a win over Alexa Grasso should lead to, and she is making no secret of her intentions. As the UFC flyweight division undergoes a seismic shift, the French powerhouse is positioning herself not just as a contender, but as the inevitable next challenger for the crown.
“I think the winner of this fight will be the next one for the belt,” Fiorot told TimesofIndia.com ahead of her high-stakes flyweight bout against Grasso at UFC Noche on September 13 in Glendale, Arizona. “I’m pretty sure the winner on Saturday evening will fight for the belt in the next fight.”
The landscape of the division was transformed just days before this scheduled collision. On September 5, the UFC announced that longtime champion Valentina Shevchenko had vacated her title after confirming she would be unable to defend her throne for at least a year due to injury. The vacancy has effectively opened the floodgates, turning the division into a scramble for the throne—a scramble that Fiorot believes she has already won through merit.
Shevchenko’s exit changes the title picture
For Fiorot, currently ranked No. 2, the departure of the division’s longtime queen has made her path to gold appear significantly more navigable. The 36-year-old French standout, who holds an impressive 13-2 professional record and an 8-1 mark within the Octagon, sees the change as a catalyst for the entire weight class.
“Yes, I think it’s better for me,” Fiorot admitted. “Because it will allow the whole category to fight more. And I think I will have the title fight more quickly than if it was Valentina. I would have had to wait for Valentina if she had won in October.”
Fiorot’s resume is arguably the most compelling in the division. Since joining the UFC, she has systematically dismantled top-tier competition, including victories over former champion Rose Namajunas and perennial contender Erin Blanchfield. Her only promotional blemish remains a decision loss to Shevchenko in May 2025, but she responded to that setback with a blistering 74-second knockout of Jasmine Jasudavicius, proving her evolution as a finisher.
The immediate hurdle, however, is a formidable one. Alexa Grasso, the former champion and current No. 3 contender, represents the final puzzle piece in Fiorot’s climb to the top. Grasso remains one of the most dangerous technicians in the sport, and after a split-draw and a loss to Shevchenko, the Mexican star revitalized her momentum with a clinical first-round stoppage of Maycee Barber earlier this year.
“In the top five, she is the only girl I haven’t fought yet,” Fiorot said of Grasso. “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 ahead of her
While the UFC has slated a bout between Natalia Silva and Wang Cong for the vacant flyweight title at UFC 332 in Salt Lake City, Fiorot remains unmoved by the promotion’s current trajectory. When asked how she views her claim compared to the participants in the upcoming title fight, her confidence was unwavering.
“Because I have beaten all the contenders in the division,” she asserted. “So I don’t see who else can fight for the belt.”
Despite her clear vision for a title opportunity, Fiorot is exercising the discipline of a veteran, refusing to look past the task at hand. The mental weight of the UFC Noche event is not lost on her, and she is treating Grasso as the only obstacle that matters.
“To be honest, I try not to think about it too much,” she said. “For now, I’m really focused on the fight with Alexa. Yes, that’s what I want and what I would like, but I try not to think about it too much. For now, I’m focused on Saturday. And after, we have time to dream about it and focus on it. This is my goal. But right now, I’m thinking about Alexa and that’s it.”
The evolution of a challenger
Fiorot enters this fight with the benefit of nearly 11 months of preparation. Following her lightning-fast finish of Jasudavicius, she has utilized the extended layoff to sharpen her arsenal away from the pressures of a standard eight-week training camp.
“I worked on a lot of things, but I won’t say everything now,” Fiorot teased. “I worked 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 to show all my skills Saturday evening.”
She believes the extra time has fundamentally changed her as an athlete. “It allowed me to improve on a lot of things. When you train for a fight, you train specifically for that opponent. Having this time allowed me to focus on my own development. Definitely, I think I’m a much better fighter now than 11 months ago.”
A French MMA wave closing in on UFC gold
Fiorot’s ascent is part of a larger, undeniable tide of success for French mixed martial arts. With Ciryl Gane holding his position at the top of the heavyweight division, Nassourdine Imavov making noise at middleweight, and the surging popularity of Benoît Saint Denis, France has become a global powerhouse in the sport.
Fiorot views her success as part of a collective mission to bring world titles back to France. “The French fighters are clearly rising. We are very close to the belt,” she noted. “I think it’s good for the French MMA scene and for all the young people who are coming. The hype of French MMA is big and it’s a good thing for every French fighter.”
As the clock ticks toward UFC Noche, all eyes will be on Glendale to see if Fiorot can secure her position at the front of the line and force the promotion’s hand. For Manon Fiorot, the path to the championship is not just a dream—it is a logical conclusion to a career spent cleaning out the division.
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