Virna Jandiroba just proved that she’s ready for a shot at the UFC strawweight title by delivering results in impressive fashion in the main event of UFC Vegas 94 on July 20th, 2024. Jandiroba is known for her elite grappling and it was on full display right from the start of her fight with Amanda Lemos. She hit a takedown in the opening round and escaped a tight guillotine choke very calmly, before attacking a kneebar of her own when Lemos tried to get back on top. Lemos escaped and they scrambled back to the feet but Jandiroba controlled her against the cage and the round ended not too long after that.
The second round started with a little striking but it wasn’t long before Jandiroba shot in for a takedown again, and this time she was under threat of a kimura. She escaped again and took Lemos’ back in the scramble, immediately handfighting to try and find the finish with a rear-naked choke. Lemos defended well but Jandiroba switched off to an armbar incredibly quickly and forced the tap even after Lemos tried her best to escape. After she got the submission win at UFC Vegas 94, Virna Jandiroba called for a shot at the reigning strawweight champion Zhang Weili in her post-fight interview via a Portuguese translator:
“Dana, I’m the next one. I’m the one that needs to get that title shot. … Dana, I’m your next champion.”
Weili has held the title for almost two years now and her most recent title-defense came at UFC 300 when she beat Yan Xiaonan by decision. Lemos was actually her the last challenger she beat before that and she was still ranked third in the weight class, so Jandiroba’s win over her does put her right at the top of the division’s rankings. The only potential spanner in the works is Tatiana Suarez, as the undefeated submission specialist is currently the number one contender. Jandiroba was scheduled to meet Suarez before but had to withdraw due to injury, so the UFC might even look to match them up together in a title-eliminator instead.
UFC Vegas 94 Full Results
Virna Jandiroba defeats Amanda Lemos via Submission – Armbar (Round 2, 4:48)
Steve Garcia defeats Choi Seung-Woo via TKO – Punches (Round 1, 1:36)
Kurt Holobaugh defeats Kaynan Krushchewsky via Decision – Unanimous (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Bruno Gustavo da Silva defeats Cody Durden via TKO – Punches (Round 2, 2:58)
Choi Doo-Ho defeats Bill Algeo via TKO – Submission to Punches (Round 2, 3:38)
Hyder Amil defeats Lee Jeong-Yeong via TKO – Punches (Round 1, 1:05)
Preliminary Card
Cody Gibson defeats Brian Kelleher via Submission – Arm-triangle Choke (Round 1, 3:58)
Miranda Maverick defeats Dione Barbosa via Decision – Unanimous (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Trey Ogden defeats Loik Radzhabov via Decision – Unanimous (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Luana Caroline defeats Lucie Pudilova via Decision – Unanimous (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Thomas Peterson defeats Mohammed Usman via Decision – Unanimous (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
The full UFC on Vegas 94 event replay, including all of the above results and Virna Jandiroba submitting Amanda Lemos with an armbar in the main event, is available to watch on UFC Fight Pass.