She may be one of the toughest fighters in the world of mixed martial arts, but behind the strength UFC champ Tatiana Suarez holds is a story of survival, resilience and hope.
Her powerful doco The Unbreakable Tatiana Suarez charts the Mexican-American star’s incredible journey – one that saw her overcome a devastating cancer diagnosis, a near-career-ending injury and the toughest battles of her life outside the cage.
“I’m actually a really private person,” admits Tatiana, 34. “Filming this documentary was really uncomfortable for me, but I knew the outcome outweighed that. If sharing my story can inspire even one person, then it was worth it.”
Tatiana’s world came crashing down in 2012, when she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. At the time, she was a top-ranked wrestler with Olympic dreams. But instead of competing on the world’s biggest stage, she faced gruelling treatments, surgery and the fear of losing everything she’d worked for.
“I was in shock,” she recalls. “It was hard to process. Wrestling was my life and my dream, then just like that, it was gone.”
But Tatiana didn’t give up. After beating cancer, she pivoted to Brazilian jiujitsu, then mixed martial arts, determined to forge a new path. In 2016, she made a stunning entrance into the UFC by winning reality show The Ultimate Fighter. Her undefeated streak saw her become a rising star, but fate had another challenge in store – a serious neck injury that forced her out of competition for nearly four years.
“There were moments when I felt lost,” she says. “When you have something taken away from you, something that’s part of your identity, it’s really tough.”
Despite the hardships, Tatiana never lost hope. During her recovery, she focused on staying positive and setting small goals. “I’d wake up and tell myself, ‘Just get through today,’ and then I’d do it again the next day. That’s how I got through it.”
Tatiana’s story has resonated with thousands of people worldwide, particularly those fighting their own cancer battles. Since the doco’s release, messages of gratitude have poured in.
“The feedback has been overwhelming,” she says. “People have reached out to say my journey gave them hope. That’s everything to me.”
One message in particular stuck with her – a young woman battling cancer messaged Tatiana to say that watching her fight through adversity gave her the strength to keep going. “That meant the world to me,” enthuses Tatiana. “That’s why I did this.”
When asked what advice she’d give to women facing their own cancer struggles, Tatiana doesn’t hesitate.
“Stay positive,” she insists. “Energy is everything. Focus on healing, even if it’s just small things like yoga or clean eating. Do things that bring you peace.”
She also acknowledges the emotional toll of a diagnosis.
“The shock and fear are hard, but take it one day at a time,” she advises. “The road might be tough, but you are tougher.”
Tatiana also emphasises the importance of having a strong support system.
“Surround yourself with people who lift you up,” she says. “My fiancé was a huge support for me. Whenever I doubted myself, he reminded me why I needed to keep going.”
Now as she continues her MMA career, Tatiana also hopes to inspire young women to embrace strength inside and outside the cage.
She explains, “People say fighting isn’t for women, but strength and resilience are incredibly feminine qualities. My dream is to have a daughter one day and I want to teach her that she can be anything she wants – strong, powerful and fearless.”
The fighter’s own mother played a huge role in shaping her mindset. “She always fought for me,” says Tatiana. “When I started wrestling, people told her, ‘Girls don’t wrestle,’ and she would reply, ‘Well, my daughter does.’ She never let anyone tell me what I couldn’t do.”
While she might not have secured UFC gold in her last fight, Tatiana’s true victory lies in her courage, her message and her unwavering spirit. For those fighting their own battles, her journey is proof that no matter how tough life gets, there’s always hope.
As for what’s next, Tatiana says, “I want to keep fighting, keep growing and keep sharing my story. If I can help even one more person believe in themselves, then I’ve done my job.”
Stream The Unbreakable Tatiana Suarez on Neon, and watch upcoming UFC events on ESPN via Disney+.
