Amanda Lemos is ready for 25 minutes of frenetic action in the main event of UFC Vegas 94, but would much rather stop Virna Jandiroba early at the UFC APEX on Saturday.
Lemos rebounded from a loss to UFC strawweight champion Zhang Weili by beating Mackenzie Dern in a Fight of the Night affair in February at UFC 298. She sees potential for another bonus-winning clash if she can’t finish her fellow Brazilian early.
“I see myself beating Virna by TKO and I’ll always seek that in my fights,” Lemos told MMA Fighting. “She will try to impose her game and I will try to impose mine, and it’s going to be electrifying, very dynamic. I’m a striker, she’s a grappler, but I’ve evolved a lot and I’m showing that. I trained really hard for her game, for her defenses and attacks. We’ll do everything we can to impose my game and come out victorious.”
“I obviously never enter the octagon looking to fight five rounds and neither does she,” she continued. “I want to finish [the fight] as soon as possible, to end it early, but if we have to go five rounds, I’m sure we’re getting another Fight of the Night [bonus]. We’re there fighting for another title shot to become world champion.”
Lemos said she expected to face either Jandiroba or Tatiana Suarez after winning a decision over Dern in February, but wasn’t sure if Suarez would be injury-free and willing to fight.
Now booked against Jandiroba, Lemos finds herself facing a countrywoman for the fifth time since joining the UFC.
“I’m fighting a Brazilian one more time and I’m super excited,” said Lemos, who won three of those four clashes with two knockouts, losing only to former champion Jessica Andrade.
“I’m glad to be in a main event and to have another opportunity to show my work. Fighting a Brazilian is more than normal to me because we’re always at the top, we’re always among the 10 best, so I’m happy for this. And Virna is an excellent athlete, she’s on a roll after three wins. She’s tough, and we’ll put on a tough and beautiful fight for the fans.”
