Tatiana Suarez Has Her Eyes on More Than Just the Next Fight
Undefeated strawweight force Tatiana Suarez sets her sights on a statement victory over Virna Jandiroba at UFC Vegas 124, keeping one eye firmly locked on gold.
Tatiana Suarez doesn't just step into the Octagon to play it safe. She's willing to play with fire.
She'll come back into the scene during Saturday's UFC Vegas 124, facing off against Brazilian grappler Virna Jandiroba in a high-stakes strawweight bout. While Jandiroba is clearly a dangerous obstacle on the ground, undefeated wrestling powerhouse Suarez did not intend to hide her ultimate goal. She aimed for a brutal and violent finish, ensuring that she had an immediate shot at current strawweight champion Mackenzie Dern.
Speaking to reporters during her UFC Vegas 124 pre-fight interviews, Suarez spoke openly about her mindset without mincing words.
"I always look to go and finish my opponents and have a statement performance. I never go out there, I'm like, 'I just kinda want to only win,' you know? I always want to go out there and finish my opponent, so that's what I am focused on. That's where my energy's going. That's what I want to do."
Overcoming Adversity on the Road to Gold
Suarez's journey to the brink of UFC gold is nothing less than a testament to her unrelenting resilience and raw determination.
She was once considered a top prospect for the 2012 US Olympic freestyle wrestling team. However, her career path was derailed by a devastating neck injury that would unexpectedly lead to the diagnosis of thyroid cancer. After she survived radiation therapy followed by a grueling recovery, Suarez naturally found herself gravitating towards MMA again.
She went on to win The Ultimate Fighter 23 and become the new champion, capturing the crown with grace.
Even though she had to suffer through multiple long layoffs due to injuries, Suarez has managed to remain flawless in professional competition. She walks in, armed with some of the highest control times in the division, along with a 59.7 percent strike accuracy. Moreover, her physical smothering game is considered among the highest standards in 115-pound wrestling.
Eyes Locked on Mackenzie Dern
A win over Jandiroba would finally put Suarez in the conversation for a long-awaited title shot.
With Mackenzie Dern currently holding the strawweight belt, a clash between her and Suarez would be an intriguing, elite collision of freestyle wrestling versus elite Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Suarez is confident that the answer to all her problems lies in her unmatched top pressure skills.
If Suarez can successfully put on another dominant performance at UFC Vegas 124, the UFC matchmakers won't have much of a choice but to hand her the next title fight.
