Amanda Lemos' Road Back to the Top

Amanda Lemos has climbed high enough to see the top of the mountain, so she knows it can be done; it’s simply a matter of doing it again. The former Jungle Fight champion’s last two losses in the UFC were to strawweight champ Weili Zhang , and prior to that, against former champion Jessica Andrade in what could easily have been a title eliminator bout at the time.

As she prepares to face Virna Jandiroba in the main event of UFC on ESPN 60 this Saturday in Las Vegas, the 37-year-old Brazilian recognizes that her path back to a shot at the belt is at a major crossroads, and her experience thus far in the UFC – losses and setbacks as well as victories – has prepared her for this. “The start of my career was challenging. After starting in 2014, I fought in Jungle Fight . I captured and defended the belt. Then I didn’t fight for some time before my UFC debut. That fight [against Leslie Smith ] was two weight classes above. I didn’t fight again for another two years. Then I went on great winning streaks punctuated by a few losses. I’ve scored three UFC bonuses. The bonuses were a huge help. I used them to help my family, my parents, and people I love. MMA changed my life. I’m truly grateful. It serves to further motivate me to train more, improve, and become a future champion.”

About her foe this weekend, “Amandinha” is complimentary. She recognizes the clash of styles between herself and the decorated grappler, and while she is confident in her own skills, she is realistic about her best path to victory. “ Virna Jandiroba is an excellent top-5 athlete. I knew that sooner or later we’d meet, we’d have to fight. We’re both Brazilian, and the top of our weight class [strawweight] if full of Brazilians. It was unavoidable. She’s my opponent now. So, without a doubt, I’ll fight to win. I’ll impose my game. I don’t think she’ll want to strike with me. She’ll want to do her game, which is to press against the game, get a takedown, and go for a submission. But I won’t allow it. I’ll defend takedowns, keep the fight standing, and knock her out.”

Nonetheless, Lemos would welcome the chance to show off her increasingly well-rounded game: “I’m always improving – especially my grappling, my jiu-jitsu. Even strikers try to get me down to the mat. That’s what they want. But with every training day, I know I’m well-prepared for that. My jiu-jitsu is much improved. I’ll demonstrate that on July 20. I’m training hard so I can win well against Virna, so I can knock her out, so I can fight for the belt again by year’s end. My current focus is on Virna. I want to win well so I can earn another title shot.”