Virna Jandiroba enters Saturday’s co-main event at UFC Vegas 124 with a clear view of what is at stake. A win over Tatiana Suarez could move her closer to another run at the 115-pound championship, and Jandiroba believes it could also set up something she has not had in years: a third meeting with Mackenzie Dern.
Jandiroba said she is at a stage of her career where the chance to fight matters as much as the destination. She explained that she does not have “10 fights left” and wants to enjoy the remaining moments of her career while still chasing meaningful opportunities. In her words, the belt is “the moon,” but if she does not get there, she still wants to land “among the stars.”
That outlook helps explain why this matchup matters so much. Jandiroba sees the UFC Vegas 124 meeting with Suarez as a fair fight between two contenders who are close in the rankings, and she believes the winner should be in line for another title shot. With Zhang Weili not currently signaling a return, Jandiroba said the path at strawweight feels unsettled, which only adds weight to Saturday’s result.
Why this fight matters for the title picture
Jandiroba’s case is built on both timing and résumé. She is 9-4 in the UFC, and three of her four losses came against former or future champions. That is part of why she believes the winner of this fight can credibly argue for another shot at the championship. Suarez, meanwhile, already earned a title opportunity after Jandiroba had to withdraw from their scheduled 2023 bout because of an ACL injury that sent her straight to surgery.
After that, Suarez got her own title chance against Zhang Weili, then came back with back-to-back wins over Amanda Lemos and Loopy Godinez. Jandiroba said that background is one reason the matchup feels so meaningful now. She pointed to the fact that both fighters have recent victories and strong cases, and she thinks the bout can help clarify the next contender at strawweight.
Why Mackenzie Dern could be next
Jandiroba has already faced Mackenzie Dern twice and lost both decisions, which makes Dern an obvious name if this weekend goes her way. Jandiroba said the matchup with Dern would make sense because there is already history to reference. She added that MMA is not an exact science, but when there is a fight on film, it helps to study it.
That is where the possibility of a trilogy starts to take shape. Jandiroba noted that her fight with Dern was very close, and she also believes the context around her recent run makes the idea even more realistic. She said the second fight she referenced against Loopy Godinez came while she was coming back from surgery and fighting conservatively, while her performance against Amanda Lemos showed other openings that can be studied.
Jandiroba also said the team had more footage to work with this time, including what Suarez has shown against other opponents such as Zhang Weili. Still, she made one thing clear: she will not know exactly how the matchup plays out until she gets there on Saturday. For now, the stakes are simple. If Jandiroba beats Suarez, a title shot could be next — and so could the chance to turn her history with Mackenzie Dern into a trilogy.
