After outclassing Yan Xiaonan with her superior grappling skills, Virna Jandiroba has climbed to the coveted No. 1 ranking in the UFC strawweight division. Following this dominant performance, she is highly confident that her next bout will be for the championship belt.
The former Invicta FC titleholder is currently on an impressive five-fight winning streak, culminating in her recent victory at UFC 314 on April 12. This successful run includes a submission win over Amanda Lemos and decision victories against Angela Hill, Marina Rodriguez, and Lupita Godinez. The talented Brazilian fighter sees no other logical next step than a showdown with the reigning 115-pound queen, Zhang Weili.
Jandiroba emphatically stated, “If not now, honestly… There’s nothing left to be done. I think [I’m next]. Definitely. It’s the longest winning streak at strawweight, five in a row, so there’s nothing else. I’ve fought every fight the UFC asked me to do, and I was patient. The Tatiana [Suarez fight] fell off and she went for the belt, and I was patient. It’s my time now. There’s no other way.”
Zhang Weili had previously expressed interest in potentially moving up to flyweight to challenge Valentina Shevchenko. However, with Shevchenko already scheduled to face Manon Fiorot on May 10, Jandiroba feels her claim to the next title shot is solidified.
“The scenario is that, and honestly, I’m quite relaxed,” Jandiroba commented. “It’s a fact that I’m next. There’s nothing else to be done. I even fought one more, I didn’t sit and wait. I fought Yan Xiaonan, who was the No. 1 contender, and now I’m the No. 1 contender. If I already felt confident before, with this scenario now I’ll just sit and wait — and train while waiting.”
Given that Zhang has defended her belt only once per year since reclaiming it, Jandiroba expressed no concern about a potential wait time for her championship opportunity.
She noted, “I like long camps to train to evolve, and I’ll use time as an advantage. It’s up to the UFC now.”
Zhang Weili has a strong record in UFC title fights (6-1) with finishes and has never been defeated by submission in her professional MMA career. In contrast, Jandiroba has secured 14 of her 22 professional wins through her formidable jiu-jitsu skills. She is prepared for a tough five-round championship battle if necessary.
Describing the champion, Jandiroba said, “She’s a powerful athlete. I have to make adjustments to face her for five rounds. I have to adapt my strategies because it’s five rounds. I’ve already fought five rounds back in Invicta, and I’ve trained for that in the Amanda [Lemos] fight, so I’ve been preparing for this moment for a long time.”
Marcus Blakely