Former UAE Warriors and EFC champ Manon Fiorot is octagon bound after Natalia Silva was forced to withdraw from a bout with Victoria Leonard at UFC Fight Island 8.
Silva on Saturday posted an update on Instagram, revealing she suffered a fractured ulna in training for the bout, which takes place Jan. 20 on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi, and will be in a cast for six weeks. Multiple people with knowledge of the promotion’s plans told MMA Fighting that Fiorot will step in to face Leonard. Frontkick Online was first to report the news.
Leonard, a Contender Series vet, makes her octagon debut after stopping Chelsea Hackett via TKO in the up-and-comer showcase. She is 8-2 as a pro and has won her previous two fights.
Fiorot, meanwhile, makes her octagon debut on the strength of a seven-bout winning streak in exhibition and professional competition. A graduate of the EFC’s “The Fighter” series, she has captured belts in the South African MMA promotion as well as under the UAE Warriors banner, where she won the belt with an impressive standing TKO of Gabriela Campo in her previous performance.
Fiorot recently teased a “big announcement” forthcoming after signing with Moments Management.
UFC Fight Island 8 is headlined by a welterweight contest between Leon Edwards and Khamzat Chimaev.