Jessica Andrade Replaces Taila Santos, Meets Erin Blanchfield at UFC Fight Night 219

Tristen CritchfieldFeb 12, 2023


With less than a week to go before the event, UFC Fight Night 219 has a new headliner.

The promotion announced on Saturday that Jessica Andrade will step in on short notice for Taila Santos and face Erin Blanchfield in the flyweight feature next Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Santos withdrew from the contest after her cornermen were denied visas into the United States.

Andrade will be making a quick turnaround after earning a lopsided unanimous decision triumph over Lauren Murphy in a 125-pound bout at UFC 283 on Jan. 21. The former strawweight queen has been victorious in her last three Octagon appearances — including two at 125 pounds.

Blanchfield, meanwhile, has has kicked off her promotional tenure with successive triumphs over Sarah Alpar, Miranda Maverick, J.J. Aldrich and Molly McCann. The Renzo Gracie Jiu-Jitsu representative is 10-1 over the course of a professional career that includes stints in Invicta FC and Cage Fury Fighting Championships.