A familiar issue is what prompted undefeated UFC strawweight contender Tatiana Suarez to delay her first appearance in 2024.
After knee problems sidelined Suarez (10-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) for over 44 months, she was able to return to action in 2023 to pick up right where she left off. Suarez earned a pair of victories and was ready to continue her momentum toward a title shot at UFC 298.
However, an injury occurred, but Suarez did not previously reveal any details about her withdrawal from the event when it was announced.
“They told me not to tell people what it is, but it’s like kind of one of those things if you just ask anybody who trains with me, they’re like, ‘Yeah, Tatiana’s knee is hurt a little bit,'” Suarez said on the Two Straws Podcast. “It’s not a big injury, but it’s a very strange injury.
“Basically what happened was my knee just completely swelled, like got so swollen where I couldn’t bend it or do anything. All I could do was literally hit mits. If I go hard, it starts to hurt, so I have to tone it down. I couldn’t bend my knee completely, so I couldn’t do any grappling or any wrestling, or any sparring.”
Suarez, No. 2 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie women’s strawweight rankings, was scheduled to fight No. 6 Amanda Lemos at UFC 298, but was forced to withdraw. She remains optimistic that her next fight will come soon as she continues to take care of herself in the training room.
In 2023, Suarez submitted Montana De La Rosa at flyweight and Jessica Andrade at strawweight – both by rear-naked choke. Known for her dominant grappling game, Suarez has used the injury as an opportunity to work on her boxing, elevating another aspect of her game while recovering.
“The other day I did do boxing,” Suarez said. “… If you watch all of my fights, I’m more of a kicker. It forced me to actually box, and I was doing OK. I was like, ‘Oh hell yeah! I’m Muhammad Ali!'”
