Amanda Lemos is set to face Mackenzie Dern at UFC 298 after Tatiana Suarez withdrew due to a knee injury, but Lemos still hopes to fight Suarez at UFC 301 and believes that defeating both Dern and Suarez could earn her another shot at the UFC gold.
Amanda Lemos stepped up to the plate. She agreed to face Mackenzie Dern at UFC 298. This was after her original opponent, Tatiana Suarez, had to pull out due to a knee injury. But, Lemos hasn’t forgotten Suarez. She’s still got her sights set on a match with her after the Saturday pay-per-view event in sunny California.
Lemos feels for Suarez. She’s bummed that Suarez is yet again grappling with knee injuries. These injuries have sidelined the undefeated wrestler for a good chunk of her prime. Lemos is crossing her fingers, hoping that UFC will pencil in the match for UFC 301. This event is slated for May 4 in the vibrant city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
“Suarez, she’s got a rough deal with injuries,” Lemos shared on MMA Fighting’s Trocação Franca podcast. “I’ve been there, done that. If I say I can’t fight, it means there’s zero chance I can. Suarez has been in this boat for years, hasn’t she? If it wasn’t for her injuries, she’d have had a shot at the belt ages ago. But hey, that’s life. It can happen to any of us.”
Lemos is stepping into the octagon for the first time since her unsuccessful title bout against Weili Zhang in August 2023. She’s pumped and ready to take on Dern, wherever the fight goes. Dern is a decorated jiu-jitsu champ with four UFC submissions under her belt. Lemos, on the other hand, has five stoppage victories in her seven octagon appearances. She’s taken down Michelle Waterson-Gomez and Miranda Granger.
“Mackenzie, she’ll want to take me down and do her thing,” Lemos predicted. “That’s her comfort zone. She’s evolving, showing her growth, even on her feet. I’m expecting a hell of a fight.”
“Mackenzie’s a jiu-jitsu whiz, but I’m feeling on top of my game, even on the ground,” Lemos continued. “I love a good stand-up fight, but I’m not opposed to grappling with Dern. I might even catch her off guard. In MMA, anything can happen at any moment. It’s full of surprises. I respect Mackenzie, admire her even. I’m thrilled to be facing her.”
Lemos is banking on a win against Dern and Suarez. She believes this will secure her another shot at the UFC gold. She’s not sure what the future holds, but she’s expecting Zhang to still be the reigning champ of the strawweight division after her April 13 fight against Yan Xiaonan at UFC 300.
“I don’t have this need to fight someone who’s beaten me, to get my revenge,” Lemos admitted. “That’s not me. I lost, end of story. I’ll fight whoever’s got the belt, doesn’t matter who. My eyes are on the prize, and that’s all there is to it.”