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Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff Writer
Virna Jandiroba might have earned herself a UFC title shot Saturday night, and she looked extremely dangerous in doing so.
The Brazilian strawweight submitted Amanda Lemos via armbar at 4:48 of the second round in the main event of UFC Fight Night inside the Apex in Las Vegas. Jandiroba (21-3) extended her win streak to four and added the biggest name on her résumé to date. Lemos is a former title challenger and went into this weekend ranked No. 3 at 115 pounds.
The victory could elevate Jandiroba to a shot against defending champion Zhang Weili, who does not currently have a defense booked.
“Weili and I were supposed to fight a long time ago, but destiny gave us a different path,” said Jandiroba, through an interpreter. “[UFC CEO Dana White], I’m the next one. I want that shot.”
Jandiroba, 36, delivered a masterclass on the ground for as long as the main event lasted. She took Lemos down rather easily in the opening round and played with several leg lock attempts. Lemos responded well to the early attacks and even threatened her own, but it seemed clear she was playing with fire on the ground.
In the second round, Lemos started to throw uppercuts to discourage Jandiroba from shooting the takedown. The strategy worked for a bit, but Jandiroba eventually timed a shot well and got Lemos up against the fence. Moments later, Lemos made the mistake of trying to hip toss Jandiroba to the canvas. Jandiroba scrambled and ended up taking Lemos’s back.
With two minutes to work with, Jandiroba calmly went about seeking a rear-naked choke. Once she had Lemos focused on the choke, the submission specialist beautifully transitioned to an armbar and produced an immediate tap.
Fourteen of Jandiroba’s 21 professional wins have come via submission.
She is now tied with Zhang for the second-longest active win streak in the division. No. 1-ranked contender Tatiana Suarez has the longest, with six consecutive wins. Suarez is another strawweight contender candidate, but has had a long history of injuries and has not fought in 2024.