Tatiana Suarez REACTS To Zhang Weili Vacating Title, Fallout From Patchy Mix UFC Debut

I think this is obviously going to catapult me in the right direction to get another title shot. And I do want to fight John Wayne Lee again. So I'm not sure what's going to happen if she wins. You know, I think, you know, I'm hoping. Well, I don't I'm not going to say I hope she loses, but I do hope to fight her again. You know what I mean? I just I hope that she eventually comes back down so that I so that I can win the belt and then eventually fight her again. All right. Let us say hello to Tatiana Suarez. She is back in the Octagon this Saturday at Noche UFC against fellow past title challenger Amanda Lemos. Tatiana, how are you? Are you enjoying the sights of San Antonio? I'm driving right through it. Well, I mean, it's it's always exciting to see you compete, especially multiple times of the year. And now you get to bounce back on a Noche UFC card. What does this mean to you to compete on this particular event? Yeah, I'm super excited. I've had this conversation every time. I feel like I'm on like with it, like whatever, like I feel like I'm reporting. I feel like I'm saying it over and over. But yeah, I'm like super excited to be on this card. You know, I've watched it the past three years or two years. This year. And I did it. They said that it's all that they put me on this card because I think like I'm part of history. You know, so the third whenever the third UFC Noche. That's right. And a lot has obviously changed in this division since you last competed. And you did compete for the women's strideway title. You got your shot at the belt. Everyone had been waiting for this moment. You faced Zhang Weili, unfortunately, did not go your way. So I'm curious, what what did you take away most from that experience? And what was the biggest lesson you learned sharing the octagon with somebody like Zhang Weili? You know, I think overall, I just gained experience out there, you know, just more cage time, more experience. I'm going to be a better fighter because of it. And I'm focused on Saturday and I'm looking forward to getting the victory on Saturday. Yeah, I was going to ask because I mean, obviously, you would have loved to have come home with the UFC belts. But, you know, outside of the Nina Nunez fight where you got badly injured, you'd been pretty much dominant in all of your fights. And then not to mention, you know, the ups and downs and the adversity life has thrown your way. So losing a fight is probably nowhere near the lowest points of your life. But absolutely. Was this maybe a blessing in disguise? Like, I guess to kind of go, you mentioned experience being so pivotal here, going through that battle, having it go the way that it did, even though you didn't win and bring home the title. It was sort of a blessing in disguise for you. Next time when I, you know, when I face some adversity in there, I'll be well. And now seven months later, she's not the champion anymore. She told me prior to your fight, she she would fight you. And then if she won, she'd be done with the division. Then she would just go up to flyweight if it was her call. It looks like she got exactly what she wanted to face Valentina Shevchenko for the flyweight belt in November. What was your reaction to that? Were you surprised or what did you think? No, because I had wanted to fight with Lee way sooner than February. And it was like she didn't she was super busy. I think she was like filming a movie or something like that. That's why it didn't happen until February, you know, because I mean, she fought like in April, I think, of that year and then didn't fight again until next year or February, you know, so like I just I wanted to fight her this year. That didn't happen. They said she was making a movie that she wanted to go up a division. And so I essentially thought I might fight someone. How do you see that fight going between John? I'm sorry. Yeah, you're freezing. I'm sorry. John and Valentina, how do you see that fight playing out, especially after sharing twenty five with with John? I'm actually not sure. I think that, you know, Valentina could I think that Valentina could do well. I think that, you know, be a great fight. And I look forward to seeing. I don't have any predictions with with John out of the title picture right now. This is probably better for your title aspirations, right, because you just fought her. It did go the way that it went, and it could be a while before a rematch would ever be put together. This I know you're focused on Saturday, but this opens the door a bit more for you in terms of getting back to a title shot, does it not? Yeah, absolutely. So I think this is obviously going to catapult me in the right direction to get another title shot. And I do want to fight John Wayne Lee again. So I'm not sure what's going to happen if she wins. You know, I think, you know, I'm hoping. Well, I don't I'm not going to say I hope she loses, but I do hope to fight her again. You know what I mean? I did. I hope that she eventually comes back down so that I so that I can win the belt and then eventually fight her again. And then they booked Mackenzie Dern versus Verna Janjiroba to crown a new champion. There was a part of me that thought, like, once this announcement came, I was like, I wonder if they pull Tatiana from the from the Lamos fight and have her fight for the belt instead against maybe Verna, because I know you guys had been booked private prior to you getting the Zhang fight. Was there a part of you that was like, ah, man, like I would have done that? Or are you actually OK with kind of going back a little bit and then working your way back up? I don't I don't. I would have fought Vernon for the, you know, interrupt. I don't mind that this is happening either. You know, I'm not like getting another win and then and then getting the title or even if I have to fight two more. I don't I don't really care. I just I just want to stay busy and I want to continue my journey on to becoming a champion. That's it. I don't really care how many. I love it. I love it. And now you get Amanda Lemos tough out. She has fought for the belt and this is a good, really nice test for you to bounce back, especially on this card. What was your reaction when they when they offered you, Amanda? Yeah, I said I was excited, you know, I wanted to fight, you know, I wanted to fight sooner, but they just the whole division was have a chance to play. And then, you know, this opportunity arose after she fought, you know, I don't know how to say Lucindo. She fought Lucindo. Now we're here and I'm excited to go. Yep. You froze up, Bobby. Yeah, I got I got you back. I got you back. Oh, we both froze up on each other because I was like, he's frozen. And you were just like staring. I was like, what's happening? It's the same thing coming from your head, too. I'm like, oh, no. So now you got to experience what's going on on this end as well. So obviously, yeah, big, big fight on Saturday as we're exploring the sprawling landscapes of San Antonio. How do you remind the fans, you know, of your spot in this division for first fight back since the title fight? I know a lot of people very excited to see this division move forward. Now, how do you remind people on Saturday your spot in this division? Yeah. So on Saturday, I just had to go out there and my ass off and go get this W and just really go out there and put it all on the line and get my hand raised. A couple last things before I let you go. Of course, your partner in crime, Patchy Mix had a tough UFC debut and taking it a bit in the teeth from the MMA community after that fight. And, you know, and then sort of the fight going the way that it did. And it's one thing if it's you getting the haterade flung in your direction. It's another to watch somebody you care about get the haterade flung in their direction. So I'm curious what the last couple of months have been like for you just sort of watching this all play out since that fight. We could give two shits about what people think. But for me, you know, it's just funny because they didn't get a real dose of Patchy Mix and they're going to on October 4th. And I'm super excited for that to happen because then he'll just shut everybody up and they're going to see how exciting he truly is and what an amazing fighter he is. And it's it's cool because it's like I like I get to watch him, you know, train every day. So I'm just seeing like him pick everybody's brain and learn more and more every single day, becoming a better martial artist. You know, we're here in San Antonio, but we drove Pat's been driving to Austin to train with the B-Team guys and, you know, picking their brain about some jiu jitsu stuff. He's always trying to evolve. And even though he's such an amazing grappler, he's still getting better and improving and still so hungry to get better and become the best version of himself. So it's cool because, you know, on October 4th, he's going to show them a real show. I'm excited to watch. I'll be there right at the corner. Is there such a is there like a massive chip on his shoulder now after that fight? Yeah. Yeah, for sure. You know. Yeah. Yeah. He's you know, like I said, just they didn't get to see the true version of him. You know, he took it during the three weeks notice. He's a massive battle. So that wake up was very, very difficult for him as well. You know, so this this fight, he's had weeks to prepare for this fight. And he's going to show the. Well, I'm looking forward to October 4th. Patchy makes versus Jakob Wicklax what a fight that's going to be. Tatiana Suarez taking on Amanda Lembos. That is this Saturday, Noche UFC and San Antonio. Thank you, Tatiana, for the time, especially so close to the fight. I really appreciate it. And all the best to you in the octagon on Saturday. Thank you. I appreciate it.