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Ahead of her long-awaited return this weekend, Tatiana Suarez has been labeled “one-dimensional” by her opponent Montana De La Rosa.
Suarez hasn’t been in action since 2019, when she extended her unblemished professional mixed martial arts record to 8-0. After emerging victorious from season 23 of The Ultimate Fighter, where she won the strawweight tournament with a victory over Amanda Cooper in the finale, the elite wrestler enhanced her stock with a further four UFC triumphs.
But following an impressive win over Nina Nunes, which came after Suarez had submitted both two-time 115-pound champion Carla Esparza and upcoming flyweight title challenger Alexa Grasso, the Californian was sidelined through a series of injuries.
And having had a planned return opposite Roxanne Modafferi in 2021 fall through after she suffered a devastating knee injury, it’s now been almost four years since Suarez last felt the Octagon canvas under her feet.
Image: Jerry Lai/USA TODAY Sports
That’s set to change this weekend, when Suarez makes the walk for her debut in the flyweight division, a weight switch deriving from her desire to avoid focusing on a weight cut for her first fight back.
But while Suarez plans on returning in emphatic fashion at UFC Vegas 70 before dropping back to strawweight for a title charge, her opponent believes she has the well-rounded game to spoil the comeback party.
De La Rosa Backs Her Well-Rounded Skillset Against Suarez
On this Saturday’s main card, headlined by a light heavyweight tilt between top-10 contenders Nikita Krylov and Ryan Spann, Tatiana Suarez will share the Octagon with Montana De La Rosa, who’s gone 5-3-1 in the UFC.
Despite her inconsistent form since 2019 and heavy underdog status, De La Rosa is confident of presenting an unseen challenge to the returning Suarez, an elite wrestler whom she branded “one-dimensional.”
“She’s a big name, she’s undefeated. (But) she kind of is one-dimensional,” De La Rosa said during her appearance at UFC Vegas 70 media day. “Obviously, she is the best at what she does, but I just feel like there’s a lot of things that I can do in there that she hasn’t seen before, especially when she’s moving up to the flyweight division when she’s just been facing smaller opponents.
“I think she’s physically going to be very strong, but I’m used to very strong opponents. She’s obviously faced Carla, who’s a really great wrestler, but she’s so small. I think it’s gonna be different when she faces someone who has wrestling background like me, as well as good striking and good jiu-jitsu,” De La Rosa added.
Should De La Rosa prove her words correct come fight night, it would certainly mark a sizable upset. Prior to her lengthy layoff, Suarez was widely tipped as a future champion and one of the most talented 115lbers in the promotion.
Should she continue that dominance with a successful appearance at flyweight this Saturday, there’s likely to be two divisions on notice moving forward.
What do you make of Montana De La Rosa’s take on Tatiana Suarez?
Please provide transcription credit with a link to this article if you use any of these quotes.
Ahead of her long-awaited return this weekend, Tatiana Suarez has been labeled “one-dimensional” by her opponent Montana De La Rosa.
Suarez hasn’t been in action since 2019, when she extended her unblemished professional mixed martial arts record to 8-0. After emerging victorious from season 23 of The Ultimate Fighter, where she won the strawweight tournament with a victory over Amanda Cooper in the finale, the elite wrestler enhanced her stock with a further four UFC triumphs.
But following an impressive win over Nina Nunes, which came after Suarez had submitted both two-time 115-pound champion Carla Esparza and upcoming flyweight title challenger Alexa Grasso, the Californian was sidelined through a series of injuries.
And having had a planned return opposite Roxanne Modafferi in 2021 fall through after she suffered a devastating knee injury, it’s now been almost four years since Suarez last felt the Octagon canvas under her feet.
Image: Jerry Lai/USA TODAY Sports
That’s set to change this weekend, when Suarez makes the walk for her debut in the flyweight division, a weight switch deriving from her desire to avoid focusing on a weight cut for her first fight back.
But while Suarez plans on returning in emphatic fashion at UFC Vegas 70 before dropping back to strawweight for a title charge, her opponent believes she has the well-rounded game to spoil the comeback party.
De La Rosa Backs Her Well-Rounded Skillset Against Suarez
On this Saturday’s main card, headlined by a light heavyweight tilt between top-10 contenders Nikita Krylov and Ryan Spann, Tatiana Suarez will share the Octagon with Montana De La Rosa, who’s gone 5-3-1 in the UFC.
Despite her inconsistent form since 2019 and heavy underdog status, De La Rosa is confident of presenting an unseen challenge to the returning Suarez, an elite wrestler whom she branded “one-dimensional.”
“She’s a big name, she’s undefeated. (But) she kind of is one-dimensional,” De La Rosa said during her appearance at UFC Vegas 70 media day. “Obviously, she is the best at what she does, but I just feel like there’s a lot of things that I can do in there that she hasn’t seen before, especially when she’s moving up to the flyweight division when she’s just been facing smaller opponents.
“I think she’s physically going to be very strong, but I’m used to very strong opponents. She’s obviously faced Carla, who’s a really great wrestler, but she’s so small. I think it’s gonna be different when she faces someone who has wrestling background like me, as well as good striking and good jiu-jitsu,” De La Rosa added.
Should De La Rosa prove her words correct come fight night, it would certainly mark a sizable upset. Prior to her lengthy layoff, Suarez was widely tipped as a future champion and one of the most talented 115lbers in the promotion.
Should she continue that dominance with a successful appearance at flyweight this Saturday, there’s likely to be two divisions on notice moving forward.
What do you make of Montana De La Rosa’s take on Tatiana Suarez?
Please provide transcription credit with a link to this article if you use any of these quotes.
Click here to view the article.
Suarez hasn’t been in action since 2019, when she extended her unblemished professional mixed martial arts record to 8-0. After emerging victorious from season 23 of The Ultimate Fighter, where she won the strawweight tournament with a victory over Amanda Cooper in the finale, the elite wrestler enhanced her stock with a further four UFC triumphs.
But following an impressive win over Nina Nunes, which came after Suarez had submitted both two-time 115-pound champion Carla Esparza and upcoming flyweight title challenger Alexa Grasso, the Californian was sidelined through a series of injuries.
And having had a planned return opposite Roxanne Modafferi in 2021 fall through after she suffered a devastating knee injury, it’s now been almost four years since Suarez last felt the Octagon canvas under her feet.
Image: Jerry Lai/USA TODAY Sports
That’s set to change this weekend, when Suarez makes the walk for her debut in the flyweight division, a weight switch deriving from her desire to avoid focusing on a weight cut for her first fight back.
But while Suarez plans on returning in emphatic fashion at UFC Vegas 70 before dropping back to strawweight for a title charge, her opponent believes she has the well-rounded game to spoil the comeback party.
De La Rosa Backs Her Well-Rounded Skillset Against Suarez
On this Saturday’s main card, headlined by a light heavyweight tilt between top-10 contenders Nikita Krylov and Ryan Spann, Tatiana Suarez will share the Octagon with Montana De La Rosa, who’s gone 5-3-1 in the UFC.
Despite her inconsistent form since 2019 and heavy underdog status, De La Rosa is confident of presenting an unseen challenge to the returning Suarez, an elite wrestler whom she branded “one-dimensional.”
“She’s a big name, she’s undefeated. (But) she kind of is one-dimensional,” De La Rosa said during her appearance at UFC Vegas 70 media day. “Obviously, she is the best at what she does, but I just feel like there’s a lot of things that I can do in there that she hasn’t seen before, especially when she’s moving up to the flyweight division when she’s just been facing smaller opponents.
“I think she’s physically going to be very strong, but I’m used to very strong opponents. She’s obviously faced Carla, who’s a really great wrestler, but she’s so small. I think it’s gonna be different when she faces someone who has wrestling background like me, as well as good striking and good jiu-jitsu,” De La Rosa added.
Should De La Rosa prove her words correct come fight night, it would certainly mark a sizable upset. Prior to her lengthy layoff, Suarez was widely tipped as a future champion and one of the most talented 115lbers in the promotion.
Should she continue that dominance with a successful appearance at flyweight this Saturday, there’s likely to be two divisions on notice moving forward.
What do you make of Montana De La Rosa’s take on Tatiana Suarez?
Please provide transcription credit with a link to this article if you use any of these quotes.
Ahead of her long-awaited return this weekend, Tatiana Suarez has been labeled “one-dimensional” by her opponent Montana De La Rosa.
Suarez hasn’t been in action since 2019, when she extended her unblemished professional mixed martial arts record to 8-0. After emerging victorious from season 23 of The Ultimate Fighter, where she won the strawweight tournament with a victory over Amanda Cooper in the finale, the elite wrestler enhanced her stock with a further four UFC triumphs.
But following an impressive win over Nina Nunes, which came after Suarez had submitted both two-time 115-pound champion Carla Esparza and upcoming flyweight title challenger Alexa Grasso, the Californian was sidelined through a series of injuries.
And having had a planned return opposite Roxanne Modafferi in 2021 fall through after she suffered a devastating knee injury, it’s now been almost four years since Suarez last felt the Octagon canvas under her feet.
That’s set to change this weekend, when Suarez makes the walk for her debut in the flyweight division, a weight switch deriving from her desire to avoid focusing on a weight cut for her first fight back.
But while Suarez plans on returning in emphatic fashion at UFC Vegas 70 before dropping back to strawweight for a title charge, her opponent believes she has the well-rounded game to spoil the comeback party.
De La Rosa Backs Her Well-Rounded Skillset Against Suarez
On this Saturday’s main card, headlined by a light heavyweight tilt between top-10 contenders Nikita Krylov and Ryan Spann, Tatiana Suarez will share the Octagon with Montana De La Rosa, who’s gone 5-3-1 in the UFC.
Despite her inconsistent form since 2019 and heavy underdog status, De La Rosa is confident of presenting an unseen challenge to the returning Suarez, an elite wrestler whom she branded “one-dimensional.”
“She’s a big name, she’s undefeated. (But) she kind of is one-dimensional,” De La Rosa said during her appearance at UFC Vegas 70 media day. “Obviously, she is the best at what she does, but I just feel like there’s a lot of things that I can do in there that she hasn’t seen before, especially when she’s moving up to the flyweight division when she’s just been facing smaller opponents.
“I think she’s physically going to be very strong, but I’m used to very strong opponents. She’s obviously faced Carla, who’s a really great wrestler, but she’s so small. I think it’s gonna be different when she faces someone who has wrestling background like me, as well as good striking and good jiu-jitsu,” De La Rosa added.
Should De La Rosa prove her words correct come fight night, it would certainly mark a sizable upset. Prior to her lengthy layoff, Suarez was widely tipped as a future champion and one of the most talented 115lbers in the promotion.
Should she continue that dominance with a successful appearance at flyweight this Saturday, there’s likely to be two divisions on notice moving forward.
What do you make of Montana De La Rosa’s take on Tatiana Suarez?
Please provide transcription credit with a link to this article if you use any of these quotes.
Click here to view the article.
