Virna Jandiroba has ‘nothing better to do’ than fight Zhang Weili for title
NEWARK, N.J. – Virna Jandiroba beat Marina Rodriguez with a unanimous decision Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC 288 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
Take a look inside the fight with Jandiroba, who won for the second straight time and handed Rodriguez her second straight loss.
Virna Jandiroba vs. Marina Rodriguez
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Result: Virna Jandiroba def. Marina Rodriguez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Updated records: Jandiroba (19-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC), Rodriguez (16-3-2 MMA, 6-3-2 UFC)
Key stats: Jandiroba had more than 12 minutes of control time compared to just 5 seconds for Rodriguez.
Jandiroba on the fight's key moment
May 6, 2023; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Marina Rodriguez (red gloves) fights Virna Jandiroba (blue gloves) during UFC 288 at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
“It was pretty much how we expected to develop if we could do what we wanted, because Marina is so talented in the standup that there was no point in me just standing there with her. I should just get the takedown as soon as I could and work on the ground. And that’s what happened.”
Jandiroba on the biggest win of her career
May 6, 2023; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Marina Rodriguez (red gloves) fights Virna Jandiroba (blue gloves) during UFC 288 at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
“I believe I had a lot of very important wins, but ranking wise, worldwide wise, there is no denying this is the biggest one.”
Jandiroba on what she wants next
Nov 12, 2022; New York, NY, USA; Zhang Weili celebrates her defeat of Carla Esparza during UFC 281 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jessica Alcheh-USA TODAY Sports
“If they need someone for (women’s strawweight champion Zhang) Weili, I don’t have anything better to do, so I’m up for it. (I) only got seven days (medical suspension) from the commission, so I’ll be good to go very quickly. She is so talented and she seems so strong, but she competed against a lot of grapplers. We all have our unique styles, and if I fight her, I would have to be water. I have to be like water – find the small holes in her game and find my way in and work from there.”
To hear more from Jandiroba, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 288.
