LAS VEGAS – Tatiana Suarez is taking valuable insights from her previous title fight as she prepares for another opportunity to compete for the belt.
Suarez (12-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) is set to return this Saturday in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 293 against former title contender Virna Jandiroba. The event will be hosted at the Meta APEX, streamed on Paramount+.
According to the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie women’s strawweight rankings, Suarez holds the No. 3 spot, closely followed by Jandiroba at No. 4. With No. 2 ranked Zhang Weili, a former champion, currently on a break with no scheduled fights, Suarez views this bout as a potential title eliminator that could lead to a championship match against the reigning champ, Mackenzie Dern.
“Definitely, since we’re both near the top of the division aside from Weili,” Suarez explained during media day Wednesday to MMA Junkie and other reporters. “It just feels right that the winner should be next in line for the belt.”
Suarez’s initial title shot was against Zhang Weili at UFC 312 in February. She lost by unanimous decision, marking the first defeat of her professional career after having never been beaten before. Despite starting strong and winning the first round on the scorecards, Suarez was unable to maintain momentum, and the loss provided important lessons.
“I learned a great deal from that fight,” Suarez said. “Not everyone does that, but you have to from a loss. Mentally, it helped me grow and understand areas I need to improve, especially in mindset. It was the first time I faced true adversity in a fight, but I never gave up. I kept pushing forward even when she landed strong shots. It showed me that I never quit and reinforced that being a skilled fighter with fight IQ is crucial in big matches.”
Taking those lessons to heart, Suarez rebounded with wins over Amanda Lemos via unanimous decision and Loopy Godinez with a second-round submission. With another potential title shot at stake, she is determined to decisively defeat Jandiroba, setting up a fresh challenge for champion Dern (17-5 MMA, 12-5 UFC).
“I always aim to finish my opponents and put on a statement performance,” Suarez affirmed. “I’m not one to just aim for a win—I want a finish. That’s where my focus is. I want to end the fight convincingly, not just for the fans but primarily for myself.”
Fan Take: This fight is crucial for the strawweight division as it could instantly reshape the championship landscape by creating a new contender for Mackenzie Dern. Fans should be excited because Suarez’s growth and determination promise a high-stakes, thrilling matchup that could elevate the sport’s competitive level.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
