Tatiana Suarez Survives Rare Groin-Shot Scare to Rebound From Title Fight Setback at UFC Noche Prelims

The UFC Noche event is heating up! So far, the San Antonio crowd has been treated to a mix of decisions and knockouts, keeping fans on the edge of their seats. Yet, the strawweight clash between Tatiana Suarez and Amanda Lemos delivered a rare and dramatic moment that stole the spotlight.

Both former 115 lbs title challengers met in the prelims. Fans expected early fireworks, but Suarez and Lemos cautiously felt each other out in the opening minutes, gathering information on their opponent’s rhythm and movement. Soon, the Californian fighter launched a well-timed takedown, successfully driving Lemos against the cage. From there, Suarez landed a knee that appeared to hit Lemos’ groin, sending the Brazilian fighter down in visible pain.

Referee Jeff Rexroad immediately stepped in, pausing the action to give Lemos time to recover. It looked like the fight might be in serious jeopardy, especially after earlier in the night when Zach Rees vs. Sedruque Dumas was ruled a no-contest due to an accidental groin strike. However, after a tense couple of minutes, the action resumed. Suarez quickly regained control, landing another takedown and finishing the round on top in a dominant position, keeping Lemos pinned against the cage.

Groin shots happen fairly often in men’s fights, but they remain rare in women’s MMA. At UFC 272, Yan Xiaonan took a knee from Marina Rodriguez squarely to the groin. Another notable instance came at UFC Fight Night: Pereira vs. Hernandez, when Melissa Martinez’s body shot against Alice Ardelean was ruled a groin strike by referee Keith Peterson. Now, Amanda Lemos and Tatiana Suarez have joined the list at UFC Noche.

However, things didn’t go well for Lemos after the opening round. Tatiana Suarez took control with dominant grappling, using the clinch and her ground game to wear the Brazilian down. At one point in the third round, Lemos locked in a guillotine choke and had a glimmer of hope—but it wasn’t enough. Suarez survived and went on to win the later exchanges. Now the question remains: is the Californian fighter truly ready for another title shot? 

Does Tatiana Suarez get the title shot after UFC Noche win? 

Tatiana Suarez’s strawweight title bout against Zhang Weili at UFC 312 was a disappointing outing. Not only did she miss the chance to claim the belt, but she also lost her undefeated record. Many expected her to come back with adjustments to her game—especially after criticism that her freestyle wrestling wasn’t translating effectively in MMA. 

At UFC Noche, Suarez silenced those doubts with relentless pressure wrestling, winning dominant positions against Amanda Lemos, a fighter known for her dangerous Jiu-Jitsu. With that impressive comeback, the big question arises – is Suarez ready for another title shot? Interestingly, the 115-pound champ Zhang Weili is moving up to flyweight to face Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 322. Because of that, the UFC has booked Mackenzie Dern vs. Virna Jandiroba for the vacant strawweight belt at UFC 321. 

Suarez has never faced either of them, which puts her in a very intriguing position. Currently ranked #2 in the division, she looks like a strong candidate to challenge the winner. Still, it remains to be seen whether the UFC matches Suarez against another contender first, or fast-tracks her into a title shot.

With that said, what do you think is next for Tatiana Suarez after her impressive win at UFC Noche? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!