Tag: Tatiana Suarez

Tatiana Suarez Pinpoints Her Biggest Challenge Ahead Of UFC Return

Tatiana Suarez is gearing up for her long-awaited return to the UFC, but still has some challenges to overcome before stepping back inside the Octagon. Suarez, who has been touted by many as a sure-fire future champion since emerging victorious on season 23 of The Ultimate Fighter, has been out of action for three years….

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Tatiana Suarez is gearing up for her long-awaited return to the UFC, but still has some challenges to overcome before stepping back inside the Octagon.

Suarez, who has been touted by many as a sure-fire future champion since emerging victorious on season 23 of The Ultimate Fighter, has been out of action for three years.

Since extending her unblemished record to 8-0 with a victory over Nina Nunes in 2019, the Californian has been nursing an abundance of injuries, most recently knee damage that required surgery and forced her out of a planned return at UFC 266 last September.

Now, having moved within touching distance of the final checkpoint on her road to recovery, Suarez is looking ahead to her comeback.

Having initially targeted a summer appearance next month, a small setback has forced Suarez to push back her planned return, with September or October now looking more likely.

That may be a blessing in disguise, however, as it’s allowed her to pinpoint four potential opponents, with her sights being set on two July 2 matchups: Miesha Tate vs. Lauren Murphy and Jessica Eye vs. Maycee Barber.

In order to recover in time to face one of the victors, Suarez says it’s key that she controls her training and manages her knee appropriately, something she believes will be her biggest challenge ahead of a much-anticipated return.

“The other day, I was having a bad day and then I was like, ‘My knee is kinda swollen,’ and I was like, ‘I don’t really care.’ I was like, ‘I’m going to MMA grappling and I’m gonna beat everyone’s ass,’” Suarez said with a laugh “Then I went and I did just that. But I needed it,” said Suarez during an appearance on The Schmozone podcast.

“I just need to be smart… I think that’s gonna be the struggle for me, because I like to go crazy. So like, I have to just be calm and maybe (train) with people, especially right now, when I’m just coming back, where I can fully control everything and stuff like that,” added Suarez. “A lot of times, I’ll pick the best person in the room, the best guy, and all of a sudden we’re in hard scrambles. It’s just not ideal for my knee… I don’t need that right now. I need control.”

Having previously established herself as a contender at strawweight, where she recorded a victory over current queen Carla Esparza, Suarez will look to do the same when she makes her flyweight debut upon her return.

Although she believes in her abilities to attain champ-champ status, the 31-year-old has admitted to wanting to avoid a 115-pound weight cut when she makes her comeback. Should she feel comfortable at 125 pounds, perhaps strawweight success will be put on hold while the talented grappler targets Valentina Shevchenko’s gold first.

How do you think Tatiana Suarez will fare when she makes her return to the Octagon?

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Suarez Gives Harsh Take For All Flyweights Not Named “Shevchenko”

Undefeated UFC fighter Tatiana Suarez doesn’t believe that there’s anyone in the flyweight division who is capable of dethroning dominant champion Valentina Shevchenko. Shevchenko has ruled over the 125-pound weight class since a 2018 victory over former strawweight queen Joanna J?drzejczyk. Since then, the Kyrgyzstani has defended the gold six times, including against Jessica Eye,…

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Undefeated UFC fighter Tatiana Suarez doesn’t believe that there’s anyone in the flyweight division who is capable of dethroning dominant champion Valentina Shevchenko.

Shevchenko has ruled over the 125-pound weight class since a 2018 victory over former strawweight queen Joanna J?drzejczyk. Since then, the Kyrgyzstani has defended the gold six times, including against Jessica Eye, Katlyn Chookagian, Jennifer Maia, and Jéssica Andrade.

Having established herself as perhaps the most dominant titleholder in the UFC and risen to #1 on the women’s pound-for-pound list, Shevchenko is looking to tighten her stranglehold on the flyweight division even further at UFC 275 this weekend, where she’ll face #4-ranked contender Taila Santos.

As expected, Shevchenko will enter her seventh championship defense in Singapore as a significant favorite. But nonetheless, her Brazilian challenger is expecting to shock the world on June 11.

But for one fellow member of the UFC’s female roster, that is unlikely.

During a recent appearance on The Schmozone podcast, Tatiana Suarez who has been out of action herself since 2019, gave her thoughts on Saturday’s co-main event. As well as not giving Santos a chance at having her hand raised, the 31-year-old suggested that there’s no 125lber capable of unseating the flyweight queen.

“I think that Valentina will beat her (Santos). I don’t know if it’s just that she’s (Shevchenko) very skilled, obviously, in the striking department, but then she’s very strong, so she gets the body lock and she does that very well,” said Suarez. “She does position-grappling very well. She stays really heavy on top and she’s very patient. I just don’t think that anybody in the flyweight division has the jiu-jitsu, grappling, or anything like that to beat her.

“If you look at the division, I don’t know any — It’s kinda similar to when Ronda (Rousey) was champion. There was nobody who could beat her in the grappling department,” added Suarez. “It’s going to take somebody who’s a little bit better on the ground or wrestling, and know how to strike enough to survive there, too.”

Suarez might be hoping that the woman to end the rule of Shevchenko will be herself. At 8-0 in the Octagon, the TUF 23 winner established herself as a legitimate threat at strawweight before injuries stalled her progress, leaving her on the sidelines for three years.

Now nearing the end of what’s been a long road to recovery, Suarez is looking to re-book her flyweight debut for later this year. Should she feel strong at the weight, perhaps a title charge at 125 pounds rather than a return to 115 isn’t out of the question.

Do you agree with Tatiana Suarez? Is there anyone in the flyweight division capable of beating Valentina Shevchenko?

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Tatiana Suarez: Why Does Nick Diaz Think He Deserves To Fight Usman?

Tatiana Suarez has given her thoughts on the welterweight title picture. The UFC welterweight division has been a topic of conversation lately. Champion Kamaru Usman is recovering from surgery on his hand and his return timetable is unclear. He was linked to a title fight with Leon Edwards but now a new name has been…

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Tatiana Suarez has given her thoughts on the welterweight title picture.

The UFC welterweight division has been a topic of conversation lately. Champion Kamaru Usman is recovering from surgery on his hand and his return timetable is unclear. He was linked to a title fight with Leon Edwards but now a new name has been brought to the table, Nick Diaz.

Since Diaz threw his name into the hat of a title fight, many have weighed in on the possibility. Diaz is winless in his last four fights and in fact, has not won since 2001. Diaz does, however, have a large crowd following, but this alone may not grant him a title shot. Most recently, UFC strawweight Tatiana Suarez decided to give her opinion on this topic when she was interviewed by The Schmo.

“I almost laughed. I don’t even really know what’s going on,” Suarez said. “Why? Like, why does he think he deserves it? There’s so many more (deserving contenders). I’d rather see Khamzat (Chimaev) versus Kamaru. I mean, he (Diaz) didn’t even win the fight (against Lawler)? I love the Diaz brothers, you gotta respect them, but I don’t think that he’s gonna beat Kamaru.”

Dana White recently confirmed that he has no interest in booking Diaz in a fight against Usman, in part due to concern for Diaz’s health if that bout were put together.

Suarez has been out of competition since 2019 when she defeated Nina Nunes and was most likely next in line for a title shot herself. Since she has been out of action for almost three years, she is sitting out of the rankings due to inactivity.

Despite this fact, she is still regarded as one of the best in the division and could be back in title contention with one or two more wins. Suarez is currently undefeated in her professional MMA career at 8-0.

Whom would you like to see Nick Diaz fight next if he returns to the Octagon?

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Tatiana Suarez Names Four Potential Opponents For Return Fight

Tatiana Suarez has provided an update on her long-awaited return to the Octagon and named four potential opponents she could face when she makes her comeback. Since 2019, Suarez has been missing from contention. After emerging victorious in The Ultimate Fighter 23, the Californian established herself as legitimate threat to the strawweight throne with four wins,…

Continue Reading Tatiana Suarez Names Four Potential Opponents For Return Fight at MMA News.

Tatiana Suarez has provided an update on her long-awaited return to the Octagon and named four potential opponents she could face when she makes her comeback.

Since 2019, Suarez has been missing from contention. After emerging victorious in The Ultimate Fighter 23, the Californian established herself as legitimate threat to the strawweight throne with four wins, including against Nina Nunes, Alexa Grasso, and now-reigning strawweight queen Carla Esparza. 

After a torrid run of injuries, which saw her suffer a broken hand and a concussion, as well as neck issues, chronic back pain, and knee damage, Suarez has been stuck on the sidelines for three years.

But after a long road to recovery, the highly touted grappler is looking to make the walk to the cage again this year, as her road to a desired champ-champ status gets back underway.

A few months back, Suarez pinpointed this summer, specifically July, as her targeted return. However, after a small setback, the 31-year-old has been forced to adjust her desired timeframe.

“I was doing really well, I was grappling almost every single day. Then, my knee started to get more inflamed when I started doing standup and stuff, so I think I’ll have to push it back a little bit,” said Suarez during an appearance on The Schmozone podcast. “I was thinking maybe July, but now I’m like, maybe September, hopefully, October maybe.”

Suarez Sets Sights On Two July 2 Bouts

When she is finally ready to lace the gloves again, Suarez has her sights set on four possible names, which will be reduced to two after the conclusion an upcoming pay-per-view card.

“The Miesha (Tate) fight, the Lauren Murphy fight, maybe (I fight) the winner of that one? Unless they give her (Tate) a shot after that… I wouldn’t mind either of those two,” said Suarez. “Either those two or I know Jessica Eye was supposed to fight. She was supposed to fight Casey O’Neill — Oh, she’s fighting Maycee Barber, yeah, I could fight either of those two as well.”

Tate, a former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion, is set to test the waters of flyweight at UFC 276, slated for July 2 in International Fight Week. Attempting to jump right into the mix in the division, “Cupcake” will face Murphy, the most recent challenger to Valentina Shevchenko’s title.

Eye, meanwhile, was brutally knocked out by Shevchenko in her most recent title challenge in 2019. Having lost three in a row and slipped to #11 in the rankings, “Evil” will be targeting a rebound against rising contender Barber. Their matchup is also slated for UFC 276.

Should Suarez be ready to step back inside the Octagon in September or October, it stands to reason that, barring any injuries on July 2, the victors from the two matchups mentioned will be prepared to go at around the same time.

Who would you like to see Tatiana Suarez face when she makes her return?

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Suarez Questions Why Namajunas Was So Scared Of Esparza’s Wrestling

Like most, Tatiana Suarez was left confused by former two-time UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion Rose Namajunas’ approach against Carla Esparza last month. UFC 274 was one of the most-anticipated cards of this year so far, and in many ways it delivered. But while the headliner saw Charles Oliveira record a memorable submission victory over Justin…

Continue Reading Suarez Questions Why Namajunas Was So Scared Of Esparza’s Wrestling at MMA News.

Like most, Tatiana Suarez was left confused by former two-time UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion Rose Namajunas’ approach against Carla Esparza last month.

UFC 274 was one of the most-anticipated cards of this year so far, and in many ways it delivered. But while the headliner saw Charles Oliveira record a memorable submission victory over Justin Gaethje 3:22 into the contest, 25 minutes of co-main event action offered much less.

After a memorable 2021, Namajunas was looking to extend her second reign beyond the length of her first in a rematch against Esparza. While “Cookie Monster” submitted her the first go-around, most were expecting “Thug Rose” to exact revenge in Arizona.

But after five rounds of what could barely even be described as a sparring session, fans were left disappointed, the crowd was left booing, and Namajunas’ was left without the title in her possession.

Not much has changed about the perception of Namajunas’ performance since, even in spite of Pat Barry’s best efforts to explain the strategy in a post-fight interview.

While most remain bewildered at the now-former champ’s inactivity on the feet, which is where most acknowledged she’d have a firm edge over the challenger, Tatiana Suarez also doesn’t understand Namajunas’ grappling fear.

During a recent appearance on The Schmozone podcast, the undefeated 31-year-old admitted that she’s still unsure on what caused the dull affair at UFC 274. But ultimately, Suarez believes that Namajunas entered the contest far more afraid of Esparza’s grappling than was necessary.

“I don’t know if (Esparza) really beat her. I don’t even know what that was. I’m still trying to process it. It was like the battle of the feints out there,” said Suarez. “How do you even score that fight? … I was very surprised at how little she (Namajunas) did. She was so scared of the wrestling, and I honestly don’t think that Carla is that much better in that department than Rose. I feel like Rose could’ve grappled with her a lot more, and it would’ve been fine.

“She fought with Weili Zhang and she grappled with her a lot, and she did well. So I was very surprised that she didn’t grapple more. Why not go on the ground? Why not?” Suarez questioned. “I’ve fought Carla, so I know her strength, right? And so, yeah, I don’t think (she’s stronger than Zhang).”

Whether through too much focus on her 2014 submission loss to Esparza or the prevailing narrative being that the challenger had to force the fight to the ground to win, it was clear that Namajunas’ game plan involved avoiding grappling exchanges at all costs.

Unfortunately, a consequence of that strategy was seemingly avoiding exchanges, period.

Do you agree with Tatiana Suarez? Should Rose Namajunas have been more open to grappling with Carla Esparza at UFC 274?

Continue Reading Suarez Questions Why Namajunas Was So Scared Of Esparza’s Wrestling at MMA News.

Tatiana Suarez Picks Islam Makhachev To Beat Charles Oliveira: ‘He’s Gonna Be A Champion’

Tatiana SuarezUndefeated UFC strawweight, Tatiana Suarez has picked her fellow wrestling standout, Islam Makhachev to successfully clinch the vacant lightweight title should he fight former kingpin, Charles Oliveira next – as well as comfortably knocking back Beneil Dariush. Tatiana Suarez, the victor of The Ultimate Fighter 23 – has been out of action since successfully defeating […]

Tatiana Suarez

Undefeated UFC strawweight, Tatiana Suarez has picked her fellow wrestling standout, Islam Makhachev to successfully clinch the vacant lightweight title should he fight former kingpin, Charles Oliveira next – as well as comfortably knocking back Beneil Dariush.

Tatiana Suarez, the victor of The Ultimate Fighter 23 – has been out of action since successfully defeating Nina Nunes with a unanimous decision victory at UFC 238 in June 2019.

Improving to 8-0 as a professional, the dominant wrestler and grappler has seen numerous injury setbacks stunt her continued rise through the strawweight ranks – where she already holds a third round ground strikes success against inaugural and current undisputed champion, Carla Esparza. 

Expected to test flyweight waters in September of last year in a high-profile slot against the now-retired Roxanne Modafferi at UFC 266, another injury prevented Suarez’s return to active competition, with incoming UFC 275 co-headliner and title challenger, Taila Santos replacing her. 

Tatiana Suarez provides her prediction for a potential Islam Makhachev, Charles Oliveira clash

Sharing her thoughts on the lightweight landscape, Suarez, a native of Covina – picked Makhachev to successfully become a future champion in the division, picking the Makhachkala native to defeat both former champion, Oliveira, and once-scheduled opponent, Dariush – the latter with relative ease, in fact.

“He’s (Islam Makhachev) gonna be champ, that’s who I think is gonna be champ,” Tatiana Suarez said on The Schmozone. “I don’t think anybody is gonna beat him. I think his grappling – there’s not many people that I watch, where I watch their grappling and think, this is exactly what I do. And he’s actually one of those grapplers. … While I’m watching the grappling, I’m impressed with every step they’re doing. I know that once they get those positions, they’re gonna be fine. He’s really good at that.” 

“Yes, absolutely – I don’t even think Beneil (Dariush) has a chance against him (Islam Makhachev),” Tatiana Suarez said. “I mean, well I’ve seen them both go, I’ve seen them both fight, I’ve seen them both grappler. I just don’t see it was all (Dariush defeating Makhachev).”

Oliveira managed to successfully submit former interim lightweight titleholder, Justin Gaethje at UFC 274 last month, however, was stripped of the title due to a prior weight miss.

Linked with a vacant title showdown against Oliveira, Makhachev has won his last 10 consecutively, adding Bobby Green to that list in February with a one-sided ground strikes win in a short notice first round main event clash.