Why did Tatiana Suarez withdraw from UFC 298? Strawweight contender issues statement on injury troubles; reveals return timeline
Tatiana Suarez has withdrawn from her scheduled strawweight bout against Amanda Lemos at UFC 298 due to an undisclosed injury.
Mackenzie Dern is stepping in on a month's notice to face Lemos at the second pay-per-view event of 2024, set for Feb. 17 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
Suarez expressed her disappointment regarding the fight cancellation on Instagram, labeling it a "minor setback." 'TSP' mentioned that she sought a brief delay for recovery but couldn't secure it. However, she assured her fans that the injury wouldn't sideline her for an extended period:
"I’m making this post because I know there are many people who support me that are concerned. I won’t be out for long. A minor setback. I asked to postpone just a few weeks so I could heal up and train. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. Sometimes it’s just not meant to be. I apologize to @amandalemos_ufc some things are just out of our control. Injuries happen it’s part of the game. I'm thankful it’s not something that will keep me out for an extended amount of time."
Check out Tatiana Suarez's post below:
The 33-year-old Californian boasts an undefeated professional record of 11-0 and has faced numerous injuries during her career. After enduring an almost four-year hiatus, she secured submission victories last year against Montana De La Rosa in February and former strawweight champion Jessica Andrade in August.
Tatiana Suarez shares insights into the value of her fan-given nickname
Tatiana Suarez has no objections to the fan-given label 'Female Khabib', a moniker that has gained popularity due to her swift rise in the women's strawweight division, underscoring her dominant grappling-focused fighting approach.
With six submission victories in 11 fights, it's reasonable to see why Suarez is dubbed the 'Female Khabib'. Considering Khabib Nurmagomedov's legendary reign as the lightweight champion and his unmatched grappling skills, the Californian regards the nickname as a respectful homage to 'The Eagle'.
During an interview with MiddleEasy last August, Suarez addressed the nickname:
"Obviously, it's not a disrespectful name. I'm very humble in the sense that if they wanted to call me that, I don't mind that. I think the guy is amazing. He's retired undefeated, a world champion, and he was a dominant champion. So, I don't think that there's anything that they really could call me that would be any better."
Check out Tatiana Suarez's comments below (27:18):