Suarez enters UFC title mix with submission of Andrade
Tatiana Suarez is undeniably one of the best at 115 pounds after her latest win.
Suarez submitted former UFC strawweight champion Jessica Andrade with a guillotine choke at the 1:31 mark of the second round in the UFC Nashville co-main event Saturday night.
The 32-year-old wrestling phenom remained undefeated and lifted her pro record to 10-0 with the victory. She'll make a big jump in the rankings next week. Suarez ranked No. 10 in the division going into the fight, while Andrade was No. 5.
After a feeling-out process in Round 1, Suarez scored a takedown on Andrade early in the second round. She advanced to side control and then locked in the guillotine during a scramble, forcing a quick tap.
Suarez is one of the most promising fighters in women's MMA history. She won five straight fights to begin her UFC career, including wins over ex-strawweight titleholder Carla Esparza and now-flyweight champ Alexa Grasso. However, she was sidelined for almost four years starting in 2019 due to various injuries.
Suarez finally made her Octagon return in February, defeating Montana De La Rosa by second-round submission. The California native is now 7-0 in the promotion.
Andrade began her 2023 campaign with a dominant win over Lauren Murphy, but she's now lost three in a row against Erin Blanchfield, Yan Xiaonan, and Suarez.
The UFC strawweight title will be on the line at UFC 292 on Aug. 12 in Boston, as champion Zhang Weili defends the belt against Amanda Lemos.