(ALSO SEE: Mick Maynard’s Shoes: What’s next for Marina Rodriguez after UFC Fight Night 214 loss?)
Amanda Lemos couldn’t have picked a better time to earn her first main event victory on Saturday when she defeated Marina Rodriguez to take her career to the next level.
Lemos (13-2-1 MMA, 7-2 UFC) showed her ability to do big damage in a hurry when she earned a third-round TKO of Rodriguez (17-2-2 MMA, 6-2-2 UFC) in the UFC Fight Night 214 headliner, which took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
An explosion of strikes to start the third frame carried Lemos to the win in the key strawweight matchup. Many people coming in were talking about Rodriguez fighting the winner of next Saturday’s UFC 281 title fight between 115-pound champ Carla Esparza and Zhang Weili, but instead it was Lemos who put herself in poll position for the shot.
Is Lemos a lock to fight the Esparza vs. Zhang winner, or does something else make more sense for the Brazilian? Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis on her future after UFC Fight Night 214.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 214.
Mick Maynard’s Shoes: What’s next for Amanda Lemos after UFC Fight Night 214 win?