Two Brazilian contenders meet in Las Vegas for the main event of UFC Fight Night on Saturday. Amanda Lemos and Virna Jandiroba could put themselves within striking distance of a UFC women's strawweight shot with a win at the UFC Apex.
Lemos (14-3-1) seeks a second shot at glory. The record-holder for strawweight knockdowns bounced back from a one-sided decision loss to Zhang Weili with a competitive decision win over Mackenzie Dern. The loss to Zhang was a reality check and while Lemos looks to get back to her finishing ways, she won't do it at the expense of a quality performance.
"It was an amazing opportunity and a dream come true," Lemos told CBS Sports through an interpreter. "I learned a lot. We watched all my mistakes. I saw all the situations and errors that were made. I trained a lot to make sure I didn't commit them again.
"I'm a fighter that wants to finish time. I want to get home as quickly as possible but a win is a win. The thing that I evaluate the most is how much I've evolved as a fighter. How much more improvement was there? If I'm a better fighter [than the last time], I'm happy with my performance."
Jandiroba (20-3) is a fresher contender in the 115-pound division. The former Invicta champion rides a three-fight winning streak with notable wins over Marina Rodriguez and Angela Hill. It's Jandiroba's first winning streak since debuting on short notice against two-time strawweight champ Carla Esparza in 2019. Jandiroba was a serious submission threat on the regional scene, something she plans to channel against the strawweight elite.
"Although the level of the girls now is extremely high -- they're very strong and tough -- I believe the biggest key to finishing more people in the division is mental. I needed more self-confidence, belief in my growth and my jiu-jitsu," Jandiroba said. "I know I have the jiu-jitsu required to tap out many girls in the Top 10. The mental part has always been challenging and that changed a few fights ago. I think I'm going towards that line of being able to submit more people."
Expectations are that UFC will book champion Zhang against Tatiana Suarez next. Suarez is currently ranked No. 1 in the UFC's official strawweight rankings with a perfect 10-0 fighter and arguably the division's second-biggest star. Lemos and Jandiroba each expressed interest in serving as backup for that potential fight if they don't draw the champion next.
Below is the rest of the fight card for Saturday with the latest odds before we get to a prediction and pick on the main event.
UFC Fight Night card, odds
| Favorite | Underdog | Weight class |
|---|---|---|
| Virna Jandiroba -130 | Amanda Lemos +110 | Women's strawweight |
| Steve Garcia -160 | Seungwoo Choi +135 | Featherweight |
| Kaynan Kruschewsky -120 | Kurt Holobaugh +100 | Lightweight |
| Cody Durden -120 | Bruno Silva +100 | Flyweight |
| Bill Algeo -175 | Doo-ho Choi +145 | Featherweight |
UFC Fight Night viewing information
Date: July 20 | Start time: 8 p.m. ET (main card)
Location: UFC Apex -- Las Vegas
TV channel: ESPN+
Prediction
Amanda Lemos vs. Virna Jandiroba: The betting odds are understandably close. Lemos meets an opponent tailor-made to beat her and Jandiroba faces her stiffest competition. Lemos has more high-level experience, fighting current champion Zhang and former champion Jessica Andrade. Lemos also leads the division in knockdowns, something she'll need against an opponent who has never been knocked down. Jandiroba is clearly at a striking disadvantage. Her UFC striking accuracy sits at a measly 38% and her only TKO in 23 fights was due to an arm injury. Jandiroba's bread and butter is wrestling. She chains takedowns and smothers opponents with top control. Jandiroba finished 11 of 14 regional fights via submission but hasn't consistently finished in the UFC. Saturday's main event is a modern-day striker vs. grappler matchup. Jandiroba's undefeated chin, 57% striking defense and chain wrestling give her the tools to beat Lemos, who Zhang took down six times in their title fight. Jandiroba via Unanimous Decision
