By James Eakin
The historic “legalisation” of MMA in France in January 2020 was followed 2 months later by the start of the Covid Pandemic but IMMAF’s member federation FMMAF is about to announce a package of exciting initiatives. Until then, it is one of France’s former amateur stars, Manon Fiorot, who has been making a huge impression as a rising star at UFC.
This past weekend saw former IMMAF world champion, Manon Fiorot, claim a dominant decision win over Mayra Bueno Silva at UFC Fight Night: Ladd vs. Dumont. Fiorot’s rise in the UFC has seen her become one of the hottest prospects on the roster. This is thanks to her ruthless striking style, which reminds this writer of Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson. Riding a 7-fight win streak that includes six finishes, Fiorot is undefeated in the UFC, with her only professional loss coming to another IMMAF alum, Leah McCourt.
Fiorot cut her teeth on the biggest amateur MMA stage, winning a silver medal at the IMMAF European Championships in 2017. She then went on to become world champion the same year. The IMMAF World Championships were the perfect springboard to professional combats for Fiorot, who would not have been granted such an opportunity in her native country as MMA events were first permitted only in 2020.
Her victory over Bueno Silva sees Fiorot move to number 17 in the official UFC Women’s Flyweight rankings, setting her up perfectly for a shot at breaking into the top 15 in her next bout. A Karate black belt and undefeated at 12-0 in Muay Thai, Fiorot is an extremely dynamic striker and presents a problem for anyone on the feet. Add to that her newly acquired Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Brown Belt, Fiorot is a threat no matter where the fight goes.
Speaking to the media in her post-fight press conference, Fiorot expressed her disappointment at not being able to finish Mayra Bueno Silva:
“I’m a little disappointed that I couldn’t finish the fight, but I won. I think I had a good fight. A victory is a victory, and I’m happy.”
Looking ahead to her next fight, Fiorot could face the likes of Miranda Maverick, herself coming off a controversial decision loss to Maycee Barber. Maverick is currently sitting at number 14 in the rankings and is, at present, without a fight. It will certainly be exciting to see what future bouts are lined up for ‘The Beast’.
Manon Fiorot is without a doubt one of the most scintillating and eye-catching talents to emerge from the IMMAF scene. Her fan-friendly style and high volume striking is proving her to be one of the most promising up and coming talents in the UFC, and her amateur pedigree with the IMMAF looks to have given her the perfect foundation for her burgeoning career.
