The rematch between Dricus du Plessis and Sean Strickland may be dominated by the headlines, but there is a second fantastic UFC title fight to look out this weekend.
In the Co-Main event of UFC 312, the Chinese superstar Zhang Weili defends her throne against unbeaten American grappler Tatiana Suarez in what many expect to be a razor-close affair.
While the title display of 115LB is almost on its way to Fight Week; The 10-0 Suarez is of the opinion that writing is on the wall for a shock underdog stop wins.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty images
Tatiana Suarez predicts that she will submit Zhang Weili in UFC 312 Title Fight
Given how Zhang Weili has won most of her professional MMA fights through KO/TKO, Tatiana Suarez has a clear preference for submissions; Countless UFC fans label the UFC 312-C-Main as a classic 'Spits vs Grijppler'-Matchup.
But if you spoke with Shakiel Mahjouri prior to the biggest fight of her career, Suarez would state that fans should not be surprised if the title match descends into a 'Grapppler vs Grappler' match.
“I don't feel she's a striker to be honest; If it was Tatiana Suarez vs yan Xiaonan, I would say that it is a grappler versus striker, but Weili does it fun to do it all and lately she hasn't really done much in the standup.
“I feel like her last pair of fights, she only did grappling, and you know, her fight for that with Rose [Namajunas] Was a competitive fight and had some struggle, but it was usually stand -up. “
After he had dropped the belt to Rose Namajunas in 2021, Weili recovered with a KO from Joanna Jedrzejczyk, after which she recaptured the title with a convenience about Carla Esparza, following back-to-back UD victories on Amanda Lemos and Xiaonan.
“She has a good struggle,” acknowledged her incoming title finalist, in which Suarez then made a daring prediction for how the UFC 312 Co-Main event will take place.
“I think our styles and the way we are matchup, I feel I'm going to submit her – I don't have a round in mind, but I know I'm going to subject her.
“I have a range of entries that most people don't have, I can do a lot [different] Chokes. I have had chased stuff, I have had Guillotines and d'Arces; A real range of mushrooms that you don't see in the MMA of women. “
Suarez is 7-0 under the UFC banner, with four of those victories through entry; And the unbeaten American believes that she will add a fifth to her resume on 8 February.
“Most women can come on the back for a coded choke or an arm bar, but I have multiple smother and attacks, that is where I excel,” Suarez explained with complete confidence in her ground game; “I'm not just a wrestler, I'm a great grappler.
“It could be an Anaconda or d'Arce, it would be really poetic if I got another d'Arce – how I started my career versus how I win a world title.”
Tatiana Suarez about the possibility of becoming a two-weight champion
Given the lack of meaningful matchups in and out of the women's divisions, we would not be surprised if Suarez would quickly put her sentences on the flying weight title, if she would defeat Weili for the Stromweight title this weekend.
Although a second championship belt is part of its plans for the future, Suarez wanted to drive home that she was only concentrated on the 'Magnum' matchup in Australia.
“At the moment I just concentrate on becoming a world champion and after this fight we will sort out all those other things. I want to stay in my division and be the best in the world, all the girls who come up.
“In the end, if I try to do the 125LB, then we will do there – but I don't really think so much ahead … I just think of my next fight and that is Zhang Weili.”
UFC 312 will go live from Australia on Saturday 8 February.
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