Tatiana Yadira Suarez Padilla, born on December 19, 1990, in Covina, California, USA, is an American mixed martial artist competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s (UFC) women’s strawweight division. Standing 5'5" with a 66-inch reach, Suarez holds a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and has a strong background in wrestling. She trains out of Rancho Cucamonga, California, and represents the Millennia MMA Gym. Suarez began training in wrestling at four years old, encouraged by her older brother. She has many wrestling accolades, including several in women's freestyle at the World Championships and World Junior Championships, a silver at the World Cup, and a gold at the Pan American Championships.
Suarez transitioned to professional mixed martial arts in 2014 and gained notoriety when she won "The Ultimate Fighter 23". She then won several high-profile battles in the UFC, including wins over formidable fighters like Carla Esparza and Nina Ansaroff. As of February 5, 2025, Suarez holds an undefeated record of 10 wins in her career. She will face the reigning champion, Zhang Weili, for the UFC Women's Strawweight Championship at UFC 312 on February 9, 2025.
Tatiana Suarez Injuries
Tatiana Suarez has faced numerous injuries in her career, but her most severe setback occurred before she entered mixed martial arts. While preparing for the 2012 Summer Olympics, she sustained a neck injury. During medical examinations, doctors detected a cancerous growth on her thyroid. She underwent radiation therapy, along with the removal of her thyroid and several lymph nodes. After overcoming the illness, she shifted her focus to mixed martial arts.
In June 2019, Suarez aggravated her pre-existing neck injury during her fight against Nina Ansaroff. She experienced disk inflammation pressing on a nerve, causing numbness and muscle atrophy on her left side. This injury led to a prolonged break in her UFC career.
As Suarez was preparing for her highly-anticipated return in September 2021, she suffered a severe knee injury in July 2021, keeping her sidelined until 2023. The undefeated strawweight contender's most recent setback occurred when she pulled out of her fight against Virna Jandiroba at UFC 310 for undisclosed health reasons.
FAQs on Tatiana Suarez's Injuries
A. In 2012, Suarez suffered a neck injury while training for the Olympics, leading to the discovery of thyroid cancer. She underwent radiation therapy and surgery before transitioning to MMA.
A. After her fight against Nina Ansaroff, Tatiana Suarez took a prolonged break from competing as she suffered several injuries.
A. Tatiana Suarez returned to action on February 25, 2023, against Montana De La Rosa.
A. Yes, as of February 5, 2025, Tatiana Suarez remains undefeated with a record of 10-0-0.
