Could Manon Fiorot beat Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 315? Breaking down the Frenchwoman's path to victory 

For the first time, Manon Fiorot is competing for the UFC gold at UFC 315 this weekend, where she challenges reigning champion Valentina Shevchenko.

The pay-per-view will event will take place at Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada.

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Could Manon Fiorot beat Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 315?

Manon Fiorot had an unfortunate start to her professional MMA career, suffering from a split decision loss against Leah McCourt at CW 94 in 2018. However, the French fighter bounced back and hasn't tasted defeat since, riding on a 12 fight win streak.

Upon her successful octagon debut in 2021, Fiorot climbed up the flyweight rankings and is now set to challenge Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 315. Interestingly, six of Fiorot's 12 victories were knockouts, with the rest coming via decision.

Fiorot, known for her striking prowess and ferocity inside the cage, has a history in kickboxing and Muay Thai, both of which Shevchenko excelled at. While the Kyrgyz's recent octagon outings have been close, including a submission loss to Alexa Grasso at UFC 285, a draw at Noche UFC and a title win for the second time at Noche UFC 306, Fiorot has put on impressive and dominating performances, with notable victories over Rose Namajunas, Mayra Bueno Silva, and Erin Blanchfield.

In a recent interview with UFC staff writer E. Spencer Kyte ahead of UFC 315, Xtreme Couture MMA coach Eddie Barraco discussed the traits of Shevchenko and Fiorot. Barraco expressed his admiration for the reigning champion's fight IQ, meanwhile the distance management of Fiorot impressed him the most, who said:

''I think her [Shevchenko] Fight IQ and her versatility are the biggest things...I think being able to mix her striking with her grappling fluidly is something that will give her a well-rounded edge here. With Fiorot, she does a really good job with distance management and striking volume. I think she’s good at keeping opponents at the end of her strikes, using her range, and her footwork.'' [H/t: ufc.com]

Shevchenko will undoubtedly be the most difficult fight of Fiorot's career; nonetheless, 'The Beast' remains optimistic about her chances. It would be interesting to watch how their fight plays out.