The UFC has scheduled a strawweight bout featuring two former title contenders for UFC Vegas 124, set to take place at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas on November 7. Tatiana Suarez will make her return to the Octagon against Virna Jandiroba, with both fighters having competed for the strawweight title last year.
Multiple outlets, including Heavy.com and AG Fight, have confirmed this matchup. Currently, Suarez holds the number two spot in the UFC Media rankings and number three in the UFC Meta rankings, while Jandiroba occupies the opposite positions. With so much on the line, the victor is expected to secure another opportunity to fight for the strawweight championship.
Title Aspirations From the Beginning
Tatiana Suarez debuted in the UFC in 2016 through The Ultimate Fighter Season 23. Known for her exceptional grappling, Suarez dominated the tournament by defeating Chelsea Bailey, JJ Aldrich, and Kate Jackson, earning her place in the finale against Amanda Cooper, where she won via first-round D’Arce choke submission. She then built momentum with five consecutive wins, including victories over former champion Carla Esparza and later champion Alexa Grasso, appearing primed for a title shot. However, injuries sidelined her for nearly four years. Suarez returned in 2023 competing at flyweight against Montana de la Rosa, winning by guillotine choke in the second round. She explained her decision to move up in weight was to focus more on fighting rather than the weight cut. Returning to strawweight six months later, she defeated former champion Jessica Andrade and looked stronger than ever. Despite another injury setback, Suarez challenged then-champion Zhang Weili last year, dominating the first round but ultimately losing after five rounds—her first professional defeat. Since then, she has secured wins over Amanda Lemos and Loopy Godinez, and a victory against Jandiroba would likely propel her back into title contention.
An Underrated Contender in Strawweight
Every division has an underrated talent, and Virna Jandiroba fits this description in the strawweight class. The former Invicta FC champion joined the UFC in 2019. Although she lost her unbeaten streak in her debut against ex-champion Carla Esparza, Jandiroba won three of her following five fights, with her losses coming via narrow decisions to grappling experts Amanda Ribas and reigning champion Mackenzie Dern. Following her defeat to Ribas, she went on a five-fight winning streak, including wins over Amanda Lemos, Loopy Godinez, and Yan Xiaonan. Her impressive win over Yan in April last year earned her a title shot. After Zhang Weili vacated the belt, Jandiroba faced Mackenzie Dern for the vacant title but lost by unanimous decision in a close bout. She bounced back this year with a dominant unanimous decision over Tabatha Ricci. Beating Suarez would position Jandiroba for another potential shot at the strawweight crown.
UFC Vegas 124 – November 7th Fight Card Highlights
- Gabriel Bonfim vs. Sean Brady
- Tatiana Suarez vs. Virna Jandiroba
- Karine Silva vs. Gabriella Fernandes
- Davey Grant vs. Elijah Smith
- Austin Bashi vs. Lucas Brennan
- Murtazali Magomedov vs. José Delano
- Billy Elekana vs. Lucas Fernando
- SeokHyeon Ko vs. Wellington Turman
- Jonny Parsons vs. José Henrique Souza
- Gabriel Lorenço vs. Alvin Hines
Fan Take: This fight is a pivotal moment for the strawweight division, showcasing two elite grapplers striving to reclaim their place at the top. For fight fans, the matchup promises high-level skill and drama, potentially reshaping the division’s championship landscape and breathing fresh excitement into the UFC’s women’s strawweight scene.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
