Tatiana Suarez out to finish Jessica Andrade at UFC Nashville, make case for title shot

Tatiana Suarez thinks a title shot is in reach if it all goes well Saturday.

The undefeated UFC contender returns to the octagon in the co-main event of UFC on ESPN 50, which goes down at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. Suarez (9-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) takes on former UFC strawweight champion Jessica Andrade (24-11 MMA, 15-9 UFC) in a key bout in the division.

And if it goes as planned, and she’s able to notch a stoppage win over Andrade, Suarez is confident she could get the next title shot at 115 pounds.

“I think that I can get that finish,” Suarez told MMA Junkie. “I’m trying to get that finish. I think I can get that finish. I think I make an excellent case (to get the title shot) because I’d beat two former world champions.

“I beat former world champion Carla Esparza. I beat Alexa Grasso, who’s now the current world champion at a weight class above me, and here would be another world champion. So when I do get this victory, it will definitely help plead for that title contention slot.”

As far as the fight itself, Andrade is known to be one of the most aggressive fighters on the UFC’s roster. However, she is on a two-fight skid and hungry to get a win, so maybe there’s something new in store.

Either way, Suarez is just focusing on what she can control.

“I’m not exactly sure,” Suarez said when asked what she expected from Andrade. “I’m not putting too much stock into her mentality. I just need to put stock into what I’m going to do, executing my game plan, staying calm – staying calm, but also being me, relentless, mixing it up really well and just focusing on myself. I think that’s the way to go.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 50.