MMA fighter Tatiana Suarez is hoping for a shot at the strawweight title after her recent victory over Jessica Andrade and is willing to contend with rival Yan Xiaonan for this opportunity.
Tatiana Suarez has bolstered her claim for a strawweight title shot after her victory over Jessica Andrade during UFC Nashville. However, she remains one step behind, as Yan Xiaonan is also staking her claim for the title. Xiaonan had finished her two-fight win streak with a knockout against Andrade in May. Given that Zhang Weili would defend her title against Amanda Lemos at UFC 292, Xiaonan might win favor if Weili emerges victorious, primarily considering the appeal of a UFC China event featuring two Chinese headliners. Despite this, Suarez believes her seven-year journey to the belt alongside her UFC dominant run provides a riveting narrative for the promotion.
Suarez’s perspective is that her career trajectory makes a compelling story from a business standpoint. During an interview on ‘The MMA Hour’, she expressed, “I think I should [be next]. … I think that it makes big sense for the UFC even business-wise. I’m an undefeated fighter coming off a long layoff, got two submission wins in a row, beat the former world champion at that weight. I think it makes for a good storyline for them, from a business standpoint.” She acknowledges Yan’s victories but notes that Yan had earlier been on a two-fight losing streak. Suarez asserts that both fighters deserve the title shot, but she believes her success story will have more resonance.
Suarez has fought through immense challenges on her journey to getting a title shot. Since winning ‘The Ultimate Fighter 23’, she has dealt with recurring knee and neck injuries, which kept her from fighting for almost four years. She made an impressive comeback in 2023, claiming a second-round submission against Montana De La Rosa and Andrade. Suarez would be willing to take on Xiaonan to determine who truly merits the title shot. She says, “I know that I could maybe potentially just fight Yan. I don’t even mind that one, … I’m willing to do that.”
Despite the hardships and delays, Suarez is finally back on her feet and confident in her abilities. She has grown significantly from when she first started out, which was evident in her UFC Nashville fight which marked the first time she cut down to strawweight since 2019. Suarez reflects, “But man, my doctor Andy Galpin has the science down, because I literally…And not only that, but my recovery was amazing. I felt like I could do whatever I did like ten times over. My cardio felt amazing.” As of now, she is healthy and patiently waiting for the UFC officials’ decision on the future of the division. However, she confessed, “Man, I hope that would be the time frame. That’d be amazing…” This is certainly a testament of her dedication and tenacity towards her goal.