Virna Jandiroba scored three of her eight UFC victories by way of submission and looks to extend that when she faces off with fellow jiu-jitsu black belt Tabatha Ricci at Saturday night’s UFC Vegas 115. That said, “Carcará” doesn’t like the road the sport is going.
The former Invicta FC strawweight champion will attempt to rebound from her long-awaited shot at the UFC belt in October, when she lost a decision to Mackenzie Dern, and that comes after other grappling specialists were criticized for grappling-heavy wins, like Charles Oliveira’s masterful grappling clinic over Max Holloway to capture the BMF title in March.
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“I’ve already noticed that,” Jandiroba said in an interview with MMA Fighting. “It’s actually a trend in the UFC. I think it’s going to become more and more common. It didn’t start now, it started a little while ago. It’s a real shame because this is MMA, you know? It’s MMA, not a kickboxing match. Obviously, I know and agree that we have to keep moving regardless of whether we’re on the ground or standing. That activity, that combativeness, that should be the rule. So how is it going to be then? Otherwise, it’s not MMA. I think it’s absurd. Honestly, I really think it’s very sad and absurd.
“We’re moving more and more toward entertainment, and I think we’re going to lose a lot of excellence. Fighters we’ve seen, like Anderson [Silva] and Demian [Maia], the level of excellence of those athletes — [Jose] Aldo, Amanda Nunes and others — I think that’s being left behind in favor of entertainment, you know? And that’s a real shame. I really regret it.”
Other recent example was undefeated featherweight Movsar Evloev choosing not to wrestle against Lerone Murphy in the main event of UFC London, a surprising gameplan given his background. Jandiroba said you shouldn’t ignore criticism, but can’t completely change who you are to please others either.
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“As for the criticism, man, obviously we try,” Jandiroba said. “We’re in the organization, and we have to adapt. I’ve been trying to adapt within my game, and I hope it lines up with what the UFC wants, you know? But I’m sticking to my characteristics. At the peak of my 37 years [laughs], I’m still keeping my style. I’ll be retiring soon as well. But I think it’s a shame, honestly.”
“Obviously, it’s a mix of being who I am and keeping my job,” she laughed. “That’s important, right? I have a forward-moving style, always trying to push. If there’s something I’m changing in my game, it’s because of what people have been saying. I don’t agree, but okay. People saying things like, ‘Oh, you should have struck more against Mackenzie.’ Okay. People have their opinions and all that. But if that’s being pointed out, if I have to throw some strikes while I’m from the bottom, I’ll do it. Because it doesn’t change my game at all. Or doing a more offensive ground and pound when I’m in a favorable position, when I feel safe, that’s already part of my game. I’m a conservative athlete and I really value position before advancing. Those kinds of adjustments, yes, I’ve been making. It’s a balance, but I’m aware that criticism can come. That’s part of it too. I hope to keep my job until I retire [laughs] and adapt as much as possible. Now, I’m not going to turn into a striker, that’s for sure. If it depends on that, unfortunately it won’t happen [laughs]. But small adjustments to my game, that I can do, yes, that’s fine.”
Jandiroba will turn 38 in May and is well aware that, after winning eight of 12 octagon appearances against the likes of Yan Xiaonan, Amanda Lemos, Angela Hill and Loopy Godinez, this could end up being her last chance at making a run for the 115-pound gold.
“When I truly retire, I hope I’ll be certain and say I won’t come back,” Jandiroba said. “But that’s something I’ve already been thinking about. I want to make one more run for the belt. That’s exactly how I’m approaching it. Let’s make another run for the belt, with this fight being the first step. I still have a lot of energy, a lot of desire, and passion for fighting. In a practical, objective, pragmatic way, that’s it: I’m treating this fight as the first fight of a new run for the belt.”
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Jandiroba flew to Sao Paulo during her camp for UFC Vegas 115 to work with jiu-jitsu great Demian Maia, a man who has helped “do Bronx” prepare for Holloway, and celebrates learning from a great with “a very refined jiu-jitsu” like him.
“The guy is a genius,” Jandiroba said. “Being there and seeing his opinion and perspective makes me much more confident in my own jiu-jitsu, in my own game. It gives me a lot more confidence going into a fight. I think Demian is brilliant. He’s someone who studies a lot, who always has a perception that’s ahead in jiu-jitsu. It makes the jiu-jitsu much cleaner, much more effective, as you saw there in Charles’ case.”
Two jiu-jitsu black belts will have 15 minutes to chase the victory at the Meta APEX, and Jandiroba, although confident in her submission accolades, won’t shy away from doing anything necessary to have her hands raised at the end of her bout with Ricci.
“Obviously I’m going in to fight MMA, because it’s MMA, but I’m not going to lose my identity,” Jandiroba said. “I’ll definitely look to do what I do best, but if I need to go all three rounds, the full 15 minutes trading strikes, I’m also ready for that. No problem. I think Tabatha is an athlete who mixes things very well, she’s fast and strategic, and many times she wins the fight through volume, scoring points and so on.”
