Tatiana Suarez calls for Mackenzie Dern title fight: 'I think that's the fight to make'

The No 2 strawweight, who beat Virna Jandiroba on all three cards at UFC Vegas 124, says she would prepare for the champion much as she did for Saturday's fight.

Tatiana Suarez says a fight with strawweight champion Mackenzie Dern is "the fight to make" after she beat Virna Jandiroba by unanimous decision in the UFC Vegas 124 co-main event in Las Vegas on Saturday night.

Suarez told reporters after the fight that she had not known she was ranked second. "I'm number 2. I didn't know that. I thought she was number 2," she said of Jandiroba. "... But I'm number 2 and she's number 3. And I don't know who's, I guess Weili, but we don't know what's going on with Weili, right? And then it's just Mackenzie. So I'm just thinking that, yeah, that would be a good fight. And I think that's the fight to make."

Asked how she would approach Dern, Suarez said: "I guess very similar to this fight, you know. It's kind of weird. Like, I'm kind of preparing for almost the same kind of fighter. Although Mackenzie, you know, is improving in other areas as well, but so am I."

Asked whether Dern's striking had improved, she said: "I think she's a good opponent. I think her striking is improving."

Asked about her last couple of years, Suarez said she had bought a house in June. "I'm actually trying to get to my goal, which is to become a champion," she said. She also said she did not think she would fight again in February, and suggested April.

Dern has beaten Jandiroba twice, including in their fight for the vacant title. Suarez lost a decision to Weili Zhang in her own title shot, and Saturday's win was her third in a row.

READ NEXTTatiana Suarez beats Virna Jandiroba on all three cards at UFC Vegas 124: 'I want that belt'Read the next story →

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