Tatiana Suarez came up short in her bid to capture the strawweight crown in the UFC 312 pay-per-view (PPV) co-main event last weekend in Sydney, getting shut down by reigning division titleholder, Zhang Weili, after five rounds of action.
The loss marked the first for Suarez in her professional MMA career.
“Champions don’t show up to get everything they want; they show up to give everything they have,” Suarez (10-1) wrote on Instagram. “And that’s what I’ll do every single time. No matter what! I love it all. Win, lose or draw, I’m right where I want to be. Doing what I love to do every single day of my life. I have the best people around me that love me for me. Living the dream! It’s all about the right mindset and life has taught me time and time again.”
“I’ve experienced it all thrill, agony, happiness, heartbreak,” Suarez continued. “That’s what life is all about. I’m blessed to have this life. And I’ll share these experiences with my children and the future generations to come. Thank you to my friends, family, teammates, coaches and fiancé for being there every single time no matter what. Love you guys! On to the next!”
Suarez was hospitalized following her defeat to Weili.
The 34 year-old Suarez lost ground in the strawweight field, as well as the women’s pound-for-pound chart, in this week’s official rankings update (see it here). The once-beaten wrestling phenom will likely make her return to action at some point later this year.