Tatiana Suarez is back.
After a successful return at Flyweight off the heels of four years on the shelf, Suarez (10-0) is set to get back in the mix at her primary division of Strawweight. The Ultimate Fighter 23 (TUF) winner is set to take on the No. 6-ranked contender and former Invicta Fighting Championship champion, Virna Jandiroba (19-3), on Aug. 5, 2023, at a UFC Fight Night with a location yet to be announced, reports MMA Melotto.
Suarez didn’t miss a beat in her comeback fight at 125 pounds in Feb. 2023. The undefeated wrestling sensation took on Montana De La Rosa, battling through some early resistance before finding a second-round guillotine choke submission (watch highlights). It was Suarez’s first win since earning a unanimous decision over Nina Nunes (formerly Ansaroff) in June 2019 and taking time off to recover from a lingering neck injury as well as an eventual knee injury. The former Olympian has been touted as a future titleholder since her Octagon arrival through TUF and has the opportunity to get closer than ever to that possibility with a potential Top 6 win.
Jandiroba just recently regained some momentum, getting back on a winning streak with a big unanimous decision win over perennial Top 5 contender, Marina Rodriguez, at UFC 288 two weeks ago (May 6, 2023). The win followed a May 2022 trouncing of talented striker, Angela Hill. Against Suarez, Jandiroba’s consistently brilliant Brazilian jiu-jitsu will be needed in full force as she attempts to fend off some guaranteed wrestling exchanges. Of Jandiroba’s 19 victories, 13 have come via submission.
The current Aug. 5, 2023, UFC Fight Night event line up can be seen below:
- 115lbs.: Virna Jandiroba vs. Tatiana Suarez
- 205lbs.: Dustin Jacoby vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu
- 205lbs.: Tanner Boser vs. Aleksa Camur
This story originally appeared on MMA Mania
