Loopy Godinez | Home, Happy, Hungry

One of the biggest changes over the last couple of fights for Godinez has been her return home to the Lower Mainland of British Columbia after spending a little over a year training alongside former flyweight champ Alexa Grasso with the team at Lobo Gym in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Now training at WKX (World Kickboxing Xtrm) in Surrey, Godinez has surrounded herself with a diverse collection of coaches, all of whom focus on different elements and disciplines, while head coach Jay Jauncey stitches everything together. For the hard-working strawweight, the combination of being surrounded by family and the structure of her training camps has made the move back home invaluable, and the result have already been showing.

Watch This And Every UFC Event Live On Paramount+

“It’s been so good,” Godinez said of the switch, which came ahead of her win over Julia Polastri. “Not just my blood family is there, but Jay and Jared (Revel) and all the people I train with — it’s my family, and to feel that energy around me is really nice. That’s how I do the best, train the best, perform the best is with that vibe… The way Jay designs the training camp is really nice. Every day, I know what’s happening, what we’re doing, and just having everything set for me — I don’t have to worry about anything. I pretty much show up at the gym with my water and my gloves and they tell me what to do; I don’t have to do anything.

“All I have to do is focus on what they tell me to do and make sure I’m rested well so I can go back and do it again. It’s nice that that is all I have to worry about.”

One of her individual discipline coaches is her sister, Ana Paula Godinez, a world-class wrestler who represented Canada at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

Some people might bristle at the idea of taking direction from their “baby sister,” but when asked about the dynamic, the eldest of the four Godinez girls lit up with excitement.

RELATED: THE FULL STORY: LOOPY GODINEZ 

“Oh for me, it’s great; I love it,” Godinez said. “I love when I’m doing things that are not right and she’s there to correct me. The great part is we know each other so well that she knows how I learn, knows what I need just by looking at me; I don’t need to talk and she knows. She can just tell everybody exactly what I need without talking to me and then tell everybody and they change… What we have is really cool and really special and I’m so thankful to have it.”

The bond the sisters have — and the entire family has — is one forged in a harrowing story, as their father, Carlos, hurriedly moved his family to the Vancouver area from their home in Aguascalientes, Mexico in 2008 after receiving protection demands from the cartel, who followed up by shooting up the car dealership Carlos operated and calling the family home, rattling off the names of his daughters and the schools they attended.

In addition to making the family inextricably close, the efforts everyone had to make in those early years of getting situated instilled a work ethic and determination in each of the four girls, which Godinez has turned into a core piece of her professional life.

“Everyone knows how I immigrated from Canada to Mexico and to be able to succeed in a different country without speaking the language, starting from scratch, is really difficult,” she said. “Without consistency, without drive, without hard work, you’re not gonna make it anywhere. I have learned that from my parents… My dad had to move us to Canada; my mom and four girls — we were all little girls in 2008 — so watching him grinding. Not every day was great. There were ups and downs all the time, and from that I feel I have learned to translate it into my career and my life too. I always say, ‘No matter how many times you fail, what matter is how many time you get up’ because that’s what matters and that’s what life is about.

“They’re so proud!” she added of her parents. “Obviously when we moved to Canada, everything seemed impossible, but now that they can see all of the stuff that — not just me, but my sisters, too — do and create, and they see us on camera, all over, they love it; they’re so proud of us. They’re so happy.”

Follow @UFCNews on: Threads | Instagram | X

This weekend, Godinez has the opportunity to take a major step forward professionally as she faces off with Suarez, who sits at No. 2 in the rankings and has only lost once in her career when she challenged Zhang Weili for the strawweight title at UFC 312. Since then, the former Ultimate Fighter winner and standout wrestler had rebounded with a gritty win over fellow former title challenger Amanda Lemos to solidify her standing in the division, setting up this clash with Godinez on Saturday in South Florida.

“It’s great. It’s a great opportunity; it’s a very important fight for my career,” Godinez said. “I cannot wait for this Saturday and to show everyone why I should be next for the belt... Every fight starts on the feet, and I’m gonna be able to show all the tools I have added into my striking, all the stuff that I have improved, and if it hits the ground, I’m ready for whatever she brings to the table. I’ve been working really hard.”

Beating Suarez would certainly put Godinez on the short list of names that merit a championship opportunity next, but the situation at the top of the strawweight division is currently a little unsettled as new champ Mackenzie Dern has yet to defend her title and two-time ruler Zhang Weili has yet to announce her next move either.

For the moment, all Godinez can do is handle her business this weekend and then wait and see what happens, knowing she’s done enough to be in line for a title opportunity.

MORE UFC 327: Fighters On The Rise

But patience has never really been her strong suit.

“I don’t like waiting, I know,” she said with a laugh. “That will be a talk that I have to have with my coach and management.

“I do have a hard time just sitting there, but we will see.”