LFA 97: Nadine Mandiau battled RSV before preparing for upcoming fight
The Belgium-born Nadine Mandiau is ready for war after an unexpected illness forced her out of competition in March. At the time, Covid-19 was relatively unknown, and the strawweight athlete fell horribly ill. At first, she thought she may be positive for Covid-19, but all of her tests came back negative. After consulting with a pulmonologist, she was diagnosed with Respiratory Syncytial Virus. The respiratory virus causes severe cold and flu symptoms harmful to adults. 25-pounds removed from her weight class and saddled with over two months of bed rest, the Belgium prospect knew she would be in for an uphill battle. Now a flyweight match between Mandiau and Claire Guthrie at LFA 97 is in the works for January 15.
LFA 97: Mandiau vs. Guthrie – early look
In her debut at LFA 69, Mandiau lost to Vanessa Demopoulos by armbar in the first round. Even though it was her first professional loss, she turned the tide dominating Melissa Cervantes at Combate 49: San Antonio. Without a doubt, the Belgian athlete is looking to make a statement. When asked how she would be handling the weight cut, she said, “Well, actually I got RSV in March and was bedridden for 2 and a half months. Got up to 150 lbs during this time, so we decided that flyweight would be a smarter and healthier decision.” Although much was made of her health concerns, she made definite assurances of her improvements inside the cage.
Invicta FC’s Guthrie came up short in her most recent fight but brings a furious pace. In addition, the young flyweight has a tight armbar. Certainly, controlling distance and disabling those tools at LFA 97 will be key to Mandiau’s success. One thing is for sure, at Elevation Fight Team, Guthrie is getting some great training. Based out of Denver, Colorado, the team boasts their cardio since they always fight above elevation. Also, Guthrie will look to snap a two-fight losing streak in addition to suffering a minor case of Covid-19 herself. The pressure to start 2021 off as a winner is big and promotions are keeping a close eye on talent for the first quarter of 2021.
Don’t miss the action and keep it locked on MyMMANews.com for the latest results, previews, breaking news, and more! The action airs on UFC Fight Pass Jan. 15. 9 Pm ET.
