Virna Jandiroba expects to be unique challenge for UFC champ Zhang Weili: ‘I fight weird’
Virna Jandiroba is confident she deserves a title shot — and that she can give the champion a run for her money.
The Brazilian veteran’s grappling skills were on full display Saturday in the UFC Vegas 94 main event as she tied Amanda Lemos into knots for the better part of 10 minutes before finding a submission with an armbar just 12 seconds before the end of Round 2. Afterward, Jandiroba made it clear that she intends to challenge strawweight queen Zhang Weili for her belt, and if she gets the chance, she’ll present Zhang with a challenge unlike any the champ has seen before.
“The thing is, I’m not a very orthodox fighter,” Jandiroba said at the evening’s post-fight presser via a Portuguese translator. “With time, I’m learning that I fight weird. My style’s a little different. The way that I grapple is a little strange. I know my wrestling is very effective, my jiu-jitsu is very good, but it’s not like you can say, ‘Oh, she’s like a proper wrestler,’ but I make it work.
“And within the weirdness of everything that I do, I think that I create problems for most people, and that’s how I can beat her. With the weirdness, that’s how I get my arm raised.”
In 28 pro bouts, Zhang has only lost three times and never been submitted.
If there’s anyone who has the skills to be the first to make Zhang tap, it’s Jandiroba, who’s now the proud owner of 14 career submission wins.
The former Invicta FC strawweight champion has long been recognized as one of the best Brazilian jiu-jitsu experts in all of MMA, but it wasn’t until recently that Jandiroba managed to string together the kinds of results becoming of a UFC contender.
Asked how her unique grappling style might affect her opponents’ approach, Jandiroba acknowledged that it can potentially be to her benefit.
“I think that there’s a little bit of that, and just I guess that not being as orthodox as most people are just makes it a little harder to understand what I do and how I get to the positions that I do, and how I can get the submissions,” Jandiroba said. “So I’m probably a little underestimated by people, and that’s good. That gives me better chances against them, I guess, and gives me opportunities that maybe if they were overestimating me they might not let me have it.”
Jandiroba has now rattled off four consecutive victories against top-20 competition, including top-five contender Lemos, as well as Loopy Godinez, Marina Rodriguez, and Angela Hill. Come Tuesday when the UFC updates its official rankings, there will be few names left ahead of Jandiroba on the strawweight list.
Though it’s unclear when Zhang plans to defend her title next, Jandiroba sees no reason why she shouldn’t be the first contender to get the call.
“I believe that a title fight should be next,” Jandiroba said. “We don’t know how the division’s going to work out now, but four wins against some of the greatest fighters in the division, and especially with a submission over a title contender, I believe that should be enough to get me a title shot next.”
Watch Jandiroba’s post-fight media scrum below, courtesy of FanSided MMA.