Amanda Lemos is ranked below some of the best strawweights on the planet going into her UFC Vegas 52 main event bout with Jessica Andrade, but is confident that a statement victory this Saturday in Las Vegas will help her leapfrog Zhang Weili, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Marina Rodriguez, Mackenzie Dern and any other 115-pounder to earn the next crack at the gold.
Speaking on this week’s episode of MMA Fighting’s Portuguese-language podcast Trocacao Franca, Lemos said she predicts a stoppage over “Bate Estaca” to improve to 6-0 in the division.
On a roll since dropping her UFC debut in a short-notice bantamweight bout with Leslie Smith in 2017, the Para-native has beaten Angela Hill, Montserrat Ruiz, Livinha Souza, Mizuki Inoue and Miranda Granger over the last two and a half years. Andrade is back at strawweight, having defeated Cynthia Calvillo this September.
“I always envision myself winning quickly, submission or knockout,” Lemos said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen Saturday, but don’t blink because it’s going to be fire. … I’m training to get my hands raised Saturday and have my chance to fight for the title.”
“Jessica is a great athlete, very experienced in the organization, has been fighting for several years, and has my respect,” she continued. She was champion in the division but she and I must fight. We both want to win, so I’m sure we’ll give our best in there and give a show to everyone watching.”
Rodriguez, Dern and others “are on the rise,” Lemos said, “but I want my chance” for the UFC gold next, facing the winner of a rematch between Rose Namajunas and Carla Esparza.
” I’ll try my best Saturday to get my chance,” she stated. “I believe I will have my opportunity no matter what I win. I really like Rose and her style, her humbleness, and I cheer for her. She would be a great opponent and I believe she will win. Carla Esparza can be very dangerous, and she likes to grapple. However, I think Rose holds the .”
belt.
First, Lemos has to get past a former champion in Andrade, a powerful woman that holds knockouts over a long list of notable names across three weight classes in the UFC. With her punches an slams “Bate Estaca”, has defeated Katlyn Kowalkiewicz, Namajunas, Karolina Khookagian and Jessica Penne. However, she has been the victim of stoppages in five out of seven of her seven defeats.
“I have seen Jessica fight and I can see her flaws. We are working to fix those flaws. “I believe that, with my game, I can catch her. … I’m training a lot of jiu-jitsu and grappling, too. Although I prefer to fight on my feet, I am ready to take on whatever challenge comes. Whatever Jessica has for me, I’ll be prepared to surprise her.”
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