| Tatiana Suarez | |
| Birth Name: | Tatiana Yadira Suarez Padilla |
| Birth Date: | 19 December 1990 |
| Birth Place: | Covina, California, U.S. |
| Weight: | 125lb |
| Weight Class: | Flyweight Strawweight |
| Reach In: | 66[1] |
| Style: | Wrestling |
| Stance: | Southpaw |
| Fighting Out Of: | Rancho Cucamonga, California, U.S. |
| Team: | Millennia MMA Gym |
| Rank: | Black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu[2] |
| Wrestling: | USA Wrestling World Team |
| University: | Lindenwood University |
| Mma Kowin: | 2 |
| Mma Subwin: | 5 |
| Mma Decwin: | 3 |
| Sherdog: | 161107 |
| Medaltemplates: | [3] [4] |
Tatiana Yadira Suarez Padilla[5] (born December 19, 1990) is an American professional mixed martial artist and former wrestler who currently competes in the women's Strawweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).[6] She was the strawweight tournament winner in the 23rd season of The Ultimate Fighter reality show.[7] As of April 16, 2024, she is #1 in the UFC women's strawweight rankings and as of October 8, 2024, she is #10 in the UFC women's pound-for-pound rankings.[8]
In wrestling, Suarez was a multi-time medalist in women's freestyle at the World Championships and World Junior Championships, a silver medalist at the World Cup, and a gold medalist at the Pan American Championships.[9] [10]
Suarez is of Mexican descent.[11] She started wrestling before her fourth birthday, as her older brother wrestled and she insisted that her mother let her wrestle too.[12] She graduated from Northview High School before attending Lindenwood University.[13] [14]
Suarez originally competed under her stepfather's surname, Padilla.[15] In 2007, she placed second at the Junior World Championships, and was named ASICs National High School Wrestler of the Year. In 2008, she won gold at the Pan American Championships followed by bronze at the Junior World Championships in July, another bronze at the World Championships in October, and was named National High School Wrestler of the Year again, the first wrestler to receive it twice. In 2009, Suarez placed fifth at the World Championships. In 2010, she won silver at the World Cup and bronze at the World Championships. In 2011, she was ranked number one freestyle wrestler in the US at 55kg (121lb).[16]
While training for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Suarez suffered a neck injury, which derailed her Olympic aspirations. An MRI and CAT scan not only revealed a bothersome disc in her neck, but a cancerous growth on her thyroid. Suarez underwent radiation therapy and had her thyroid and several lymph nodes removed. After successful treatment, her thyroid cancer was gone and she eventually began to train again. Suarez started practicing Brazilian jiu-jitsu, which led her to mixed martial arts.[17]
Suarez began training in 2013. She had issues finding an opponent for her first fight due to her impressive wrestling background. On the advice of her coaches, she began using Suarez (her biological father's surname) instead of Padilla (her stepfather's surname that she used while wrestling). She made her amateur debut in February 2014 defeating Elizabeth Rodriguez by TKO in the first round. She fought again one month later and defeated Jessica Pryor by unanimous decision.
Suarez made her professional MMA debut in July 2014 in the Gladiator Challenge promotion defeating Tyra Parker by unanimous decision. She returned in April 2015 and submitted Carolina Alvarez by armbar in the first round. She made her final appearance for the promotion in August 2015 defeating Arline Coban by TKO in the second round. This victory earned her the Gladiator Challenge championship in the California State Championship Series.
Suarez was chosen as a participant on the 23rd season of the reality show The Ultimate Fighter. In her fight to get into the house she defeated Chel-c Bailey by unanimous decision. Her dominant performance caused her to be selected as the number one overall pick by coach Cláudia Gadelha.[18] In the quarter-finals she faced Joanna Jędrzejczyk's number one pick and Invicta FC veteran JJ Aldrich. She submitted Aldrich in the second round by rear naked choke, advancing her to the semi-finals.[19] In her third fight she faced Team Claudia teammate Kate Jackson. She submitted Jackson in the first round by guillotine choke and advanced to the live finale.[20]
Suarez faced Team Claudia teammate Amanda Cooper in the finals on July 8, 2016 at The Ultimate Fighter 23 Finale. She won the fight by D'Arce choke in the first round to become the strawweight tournament winner.[21] This win earned her the Performance of the Night bonus.[22]
Suarez was expected to face Juliana Lima at on . However, Suarez pulled out of the fight on November 23 citing injury[23] and was replaced by JJ Aldrich.[24]
Suarez faced Viviane Pereira on November 11, 2017 at .[25] She won the fight via unanimous decision.[26]
Suarez faced Alexa Grasso on May 19, 2018 at UFC Fight Night 129.[27] She won the fight via a rear-naked choke in round one.[28]
Suarez faced Carla Esparza on September 8, 2018 at UFC 228.[29] She won the fight via technical knockout in the third round.[30]
Suarez faced Nina Ansaroff on June 8, 2019 at UFC 238.[31] She won the fight via unanimous decision.[32]
Suarez was expected to return from an extended hiatus and face Roxanne Modafferi in a flyweight bout on September 25, 2021 at UFC 266.[33] However, Suarez was pulled from the event due to injury,[34] and she was replaced by Taila Santos.[35]
After a three-and-a-half-year hiatus, Suarez returned to face Montana De La Rosa in a flyweight bout on February 25, 2023 at UFC Fight Night 220.[36] She won the fight via a guillotine choke submission in round two.[37] This win earned her the Performance of the Night bonus.[38]
Suarez was scheduled to face Virna Jandiroba on August 5, 2023, at UFC on ESPN 50.[39] However on June 20 it was reported that Jandiroba suffered a knee injury and pulled out of the bout, later replaced by former UFC Women's Strawweight champion Jéssica Andrade.[40] Suarez won the fight via a guillotine choke submission in the second round.[41] This win earned Suarez her third Performance of the Night bonus.[42]
Suarez was scheduled to face Amanda Lemos on February 17, 2024, at UFC 298.[43] However, Suarez was withdrawn from the event because of an injury and was replaced by Mackenzie Dern.[44]
Suarez was scheduled to face Virna Jandiroba on December 7, 2024 at UFC 310.[45] However, Suarez reportedly withdrew from the fight due to an unspecified health issue and the bout was subsequently removed from the card.[46] [47]
In 2024, an HBO documentary, "The Unbreakable Tatiana Suarez" was released. It was based on Tatiana Suarez's life struggle, fighting with cancer then becoming a MMA champion.[48]
|-|Win|align=center|10–0|Jéssica Andrade|Submission (guillotine choke)|||align=center|2|align=center|1:31|Nashville, Tennessee, United States||-|Win|align=center|9–0|Montana De La Rosa|Submission (guillotine choke)|||align=center|2|align=center|2:51|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States||-|Win|align=center|8–0|Nina Ansaroff|Decision (unanimous)|UFC 238 ||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Chicago, Illinois, United States||-|Win|align=center|7–0|Carla Esparza|TKO (punches)|UFC 228 ||align=center|3|align=center|4:33|Dallas, Texas, United States||-|Win|align=center|6–0|Alexa Grasso|Submission (rear-naked choke)|||align=center|1|align=center|2:44|Santiago, Chile||-|Win|align=center|5–0|Viviane Pereira|Decision (unanimous)|||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Norfolk, Virginia, United States||-|Win|align=center|4–0|Amanda Cooper|Submission (brabo choke)|The Ultimate Fighter: Team Joanna vs. Team Cláudia Finale||align=center|1|align=center|3:43|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States||-|Win|align=center|3–0|Arline Coban|TKO (punches)|Gladiator Challenge: California State Championship Series||align=center|2|align=center|0:48||San Jacinto, California, United States||-|Win|align=center|2–0|Carolina Alvarez|Submission (armbar)|Gladiator Challenge: California State Championship Series||align=center|1|align=center|2:01|San Jacinto, California, United States||-|Win|align=center|1–0|Tyra Parker|Decision (unanimous)|Gladiator Challenge: Night of the Champions||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Rancho Mirage, California, United States|
|-|Win |align=center|3–0|Kate Jackson|Submission (guillotine choke)|rowspan=3 || (airdate)|align=center|1|align=center|2:52 |rowspan=3 |Las Vegas, Nevada, United States||-|Win|align=center|2–0|JJ Aldrich|Submission (rear-naked choke)| (airdate)|align=center|2|align=center|3:14 ||-|Win|align=center|1–0|Chel-c Bailey|Decision (unanimous)| (airdate)|align=center|2|align=center|5:00|[50]
|-|Win|align=center| 2–0|Jessica Pryor|Decision (unanimous)|Spar Star MMA: Friday Night Fights||align=center| 3|align=center| 2:00|Inglewood, California, United States||-|Win|align=center| 1–0|Elizabeth Rodriguez|TKO (punches)|Mansion Fights XIV||align=center| 1|align=center| 1:19|Los Angeles, California, United States|
| -- width:100%; --> | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Res. | Opponent | Score | Date | Event | Location | |
| style=background:white colspan=8 | ||||||
| Win | align=left |  Maria Gurova | Fall | September 9, 2010 | 2010 World Championship | Moscow |
| Win |  Um Ji-eun | 1–0, 5-4 | ||||
| Loss |  Saori Yoshida | 0–3, 0–7 | ||||
| Win |  Ana Maria Pavăl | 1–3, 3–3, 6–0 | ||||
| Win |  Zalina Sidakova | 2–0, 7–4 | ||||
| style=background:white colspan=8 | ||||||
| Loss | Alena Filipava | 2–5, 0–3 | September 24, 2009 | 2009 World Championships | Herning | |
| Loss |  Sona Ahmadli | 0–1, 1–2 | ||||
| Win |  Geeta Phogat | Fall | ||||
| Win |  Gudrun Høie | 3–0, 6–0 | ||||
| style=background:white colspan=8 | ||||||
| Win | Ana Maria Pavăl | 5–4 | October 11, 2008 | 2008 World Championship | Tokyo | |
| Loss |  Tetyana Lazareva | 2–5 | ||||
| Win | Tatyana Grigorieva | 5–2 | ||||
| Win | Rivera Velazquez | 8–1 | ||||
| Win | Sofia Poumpouridou | 6–1See also
External links
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