Amanda Lemos and Tatiana Suarez got here up quick of their makes an attempt to dethrone UFC strawweight queen Zhang Weili, and Lemos sees their upcoming conflict in San Antonio as an opportunity to re-insert her title within the dialog for a future title rivalry.
Lemos collides with Suarez this weekend at Noche UFC, a match-up she has hoped for a few years now. Suarez was handled as a future champion ever since she joined the promotion after successful The Final Fighter in 2016.
“Tatiana is a troublesome athlete,” Lemos stated. “She was seen because the boogeywoman, she was undefeated, and is now coming off a loss. However I anticipated this struggle for a very long time. In reality, ever since I entered the UFC, I already envisioned this struggle as a result of she was in her prime, after which the accidents began.”
Suarez misplaced to Zhang in February, the final title protection for the Chinese language star earlier than transferring as much as problem Valentina Shevchenko for flyweight glory in November. Lemos, who’s 2-1 since her defeat to Weili in 2023, wonders how Suarez will return after her first MMA loss.
“We positively really feel a bit extra stress once we’re coming off a loss as a result of nobody needs to get two losses in a row of their document,” Lemos stated. “I’m again now and we’re going for my second straight victory.”
Lemos stated she’s additionally curious to see how Suarez will carry out contained in the cage after battling so many accidents over time.
“I feel she’s throwing herself extra with the takedowns,” Lemos stated. “Undecided if it’s due to the knee, however I don’t see her capturing for takedowns with the knee on the bottom anymore. However Weili has executed an awesome job defending the takedowns, so we’re attempting to work that as effectively. We obtained a number of stuff from the Weili struggle.
“She has nice wrestling, that’s what she does finest. We’re mapping out her recreation and following each step she takes. We are going to impose our recreation in each takedown she makes an attempt. We’ll be one step forward of her to do job.”
Regardless of Suarez’s embellished wrestling background, which has given her seven straight UFC victories between 2016 and 2023, Lemos stated she brings no stunning parts to the match.
“The sport plan is to at all times defend the takedowns as a result of there’s nothing new with this struggle, proper?” Lemos stated “She is going to attempt to take me down, and I’ll attempt to defend. There’s no secret for anybody. I’ll positively go there to frustrate her recreation, defend the takedowns and attempt to end the struggle as rapidly as doable.”
