If there’s one fighter who’s the definition of resilience in the UFC, it’s Tatiana Suarez. In 2011, the TUF alum suffered a severe neck injury while training for the 2012 London Olympics. However, what doctors found next was even more alarming—a cancerous growth on her thyroid. After undergoing treatment and overcoming cancer, she shifted her focus to jiu-jitsu and eventually transitioned into MMA. Just as her career was gaining momentum, disaster struck once again in 2021.

During a training session, she tore her ACL, LCL, MCL, and meniscus, sidelining her for nearly four years. Despite these setbacks, Suarez’s resilience never wavered, proving that no obstacle could keep her from chasing greatness. The road to recovery was long and uncertain, forcing her to step away from the sport at her peak. Despite the hardships, Suarez never lost faith. She stayed disciplined, focusing on rehabilitation and finding ways to improve even while she was unable to fight. Her patience and determination paid off when she finally returned to the Octagon in 2023, moving up to flyweight and proving that she hadn’t lost a step.

The 34-year-old will now be fighting with Zhang Weili in the co-main event of UFC 312. Before the fight, Sean Strickland shared an inspiring story during the UFC 312  media day. He said, “Tatiana has that, like, magic bro. She has that, like, autism magic that just, like, transcends into this f****ng beast of a wrestler. I knew Tatiana when she was autistic for the first time it is a true story. I was at Millennia, you know, and I was saying something and I don’t know if it’s funny or not. But she started laughing like 30 seconds after the joke was said. And we all kinda looked at Tatiana we’re like, ‘What’s up?’, and she’s like, ‘It was a funny joke’.” 

A devastating neck injury ended her Olympic wrestling dreams. A battle with cancer tested her like never before. But Tatiana Suarez refused to quit. Now, at UFC 312, she stands on the brink of greatness, ready to challenge Zhang Weili for the strawweight title. And if you ask Sean Strickland, the world hasn’t even witnessed the full extent of her dominance. When the cage door slams shut, Suarez is a force unlike any other—relentless, suffocating, and more dangerous than ever.

Sean Strickland warns the champion about the threats of Tatiana Suarez

Sean Strickland, never one to hold back his opinions, has seen Tatiana Suarez’s greatness up close. Training alongside her at Millennia MMA in California, he’s witnessed firsthand the intensity she brings to every session. If her dominance inside the Octagon is terrifying, what she does in the gym is on another level.

Suarez is known for her wrestling background which makes her a relentless force on the mat. She started grappling at just three years old, perfecting techniques long before most kids could even tie their shoes. But where did that foundation take her next? ‘Tarzan’ shared a story that shows the caliber of her wrestling skills.

During the UFC 312 press day, he narrated a story and said, “So back in the day in Millennia, she’s sparring, she’s beating up this guy, has this mother**ker in full mount just dropping hell on this guy. And her coach at the time, a guy named Batiste, you know, real lazy f**ker. He was like, I mean she’s dropping heat, and then Batiste’s like, ‘Whoa Tatiana, like chill out’. Tatiana drops in the heat looks at him, and says, ‘F**k you, Batiste!’, and just keeps f**king blasting this guy’s face.” Strickland has witnessed Suarez’s raw intensity behind closed doors. Now, at UFC 312, the world gets to see it for themselves.

Will Tatiana Suarez seize her destiny, or will Zhang Weili stand firm as the immovable obstacle to her rise? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.