Virna Jandiroba knows that finishes get the attention of the UFC brass, and finding an early stoppage against former title challenger Amanda Lemos could propel her even closer to her own shot at gold.
Just the second time on a UFC main card, Jandiroba (20-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) finds herself headlining opposite Lemos (14-3-1 MMA, 8-3 UFC) Saturday at UFC on ESPN 60 (ESPN, ESPN+) at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Jandiroba is on the best stretch of her UFC tenure, having won three straight unanimous decisions against Angela Hill, Marina Rodriguez and Lupita Godinez. While those are solid wins against stiff competition, Jandiroba knows that the UFC prefers finishes en route to a title shot.
“In the UFC, we know a finish is always better than a decision – they like that,” Jandiroba told MMA Junkie Radio through an interpreter. “So, I know that if I’m able to get a finish over Amanda Lemos, I’m probably going to be much, much closer to a title fight than if I win by decision.
“Although, she’s a very tough opponent. I think a win is a win, over her especially, but a finish for sure would push me forward a lot more.”
Jandiroba currently holds the No. 8 spot in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie women’s strawweight rankings. With Lemos one spot ahead at No. 7, it’s a tight matchup between two fighters looking to navigate their way to a shot at the title. Lemos had her first crack at gold at UFC 292, but lost a unanimous decision to the champ Zhang Weili.
Jandiroba, 36, has three stoppages in the UFC. She flexed her submission skills to tap Mallory Martin and Felice Herrig, while the third against Kanako Murata was an arm injury TKO after hunting for an armbar.
After a setback against Amanda Ribas at UFC 267, Jandiroba ripped three in a row, crediting a few adjustments outside the cage.
“I think the biggest thing is more of a mental adjustment and a behavior adjustment more than anything fight-related,” Jandiroba said. “Once I got over a few hurdles mentally and behaviorally, I think things started to click a lot more.”
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