Tatiana Suarez Welcomes Comparisons to Khabib Nurmagomedov After Quick UFC Chile Win
Tatiana Suarez could be a problem for the UFC women’s strawweight division.
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Suarez, a two-time bronze medalist in the world championships for freestyle wrestling, wasted little time looking to take Grasso down. She executed a head-and-arm throw near the fence, and when Grasso attempted to frame an armbar, Suarez was able to take her back. It didn’t take long before Suarez was able to slide her arm under her opponent’s chin to secure the tapout.
With the victory, Suarez ties reigning 115-pound queen Rose
Namajunas for the longest active winning streak in the
division.
“I’m just really excited to be here. I knew she was a tough opponent. I knew she was gonna give me great reactions,” Suarez said on Fox Sports 1. “I’m just grateful to the UFC for giving me the co-main. I’ve always been on the undercard except for the [‘The Ultimate Fighter 23] finale. This was a great experience, and I’m really thankful and blessed to be here. I’m living my dreams out. Not many people say they can do that.”
Suarez’s wrestling-oriented style has already drawn some lofty comparisons, as some have likened the Covina, Calif., native to lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. Suarez doesn’t shy away from the honor.
“I love that comparison because I’m a huge fan of his,” she said. “I really base a lot of my wrist riding off of him. I do that a lot in practice. Actually, that’s what happened, I went for the wrist ride and she turned her back to me and I took her back off of it. Thank you Khabib for that because I learned from him.
“I learn from all the fighters. I know a lot of fighters say, ‘I don’t watch fights.’ I think that’s crazy, because you can learn from anybody. And kind of grow as a martial artist.”
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