Tatiana Suarez returns for top-ranked strawweight bout at Noche UFC 3

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Tatiana Suarez | Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Tatiana Suarez has booked her first fight since suffering her first loss.

The UFC announced Wednesday that Suarez is set to fight Amanda Lemos in a strawweight bout at Noche UFC 3 on Sept. 13 in San Antonio. Featherweight contenders Diego Lopes and Jean Silva battle in the featherweight main event.

Currently No. 3 at 115 pounds in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings and No. 12 on the pound-for-pound list, Suarez (10-1) had her long-awaited shot at a UFC title this past February at UFC 312, almost nine years after winning season 23 of The Ultimate Fighter, but lost a one-sided decision to champion Zhang Weili. The setback spoiled perfect seven-fight octagon run, which included victories over former and future champions Jessica Andrade, Carla Esparza and Alexa Grasso.

Lemos (15-4-1), No. 6 at strawweight, has won two of three since challenging Zhang for gold in 2023, including a pair of decision victories over Mackenzie Dern and Iasmin Lucindo with a submission defeat to Virna Jandiroba in between.

The former Jungle Fight champion is 9-4 in the UFC with five stoppage wins, finishing the likes of Marina Rodriguez and Michelle Waterson-Gomez.

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