This coming weekend at UFC Vegas 89, number eight-ranked women’s flyweight Amanda Ribas will take on former strawweight champion Rose Namajunas, in the main event.
‘Thug’ Rose Namajunas made her move up to 125lbs in September last year, after losing her strawweight title to Carla Esparza back at UFC 274 in 2022. Her flyweight debut came against top contender Manon Fiorot, at UFC Paris, in which she lost a unanimous decision.
Amanda Ribas on the other hand has never main-evented in the UFC and has only been booked for a five-round fight on one previous occasion, back in 2016. The Brazilian is coming off an imposing third-round finish against Luana Pinheiro.
Although the 30-year-old is ranked eighth in the flyweight division, she has mixed fights between strawweight and flyweight, with her last one being at 115lbs.
Despite that, her upcoming main event with Rose Namajunas will be by far the biggest fight of her 10-year career so far, with a win likely putting her close to title contention.
Ribas predicts third-round knockout win with a quick turnaround to UFC 301
She told Stake.com that she thinks she can stop Namajunas with her ‘distance and striking’.
“I think I can stop her with my distance and striking, so I think that I will knock Rose out in the third round. I like fighting in the Apex because it’s a small cage and I am close to my opponent, but the lack of an audience is a bad thing. There really isn’t much chance of fans getting into the Apex either as they are reserved for special guests.
“I like the cage but then I miss out on having the audience there.” Ribas added.
Ribas has fought at the UFC Apex twice before, with her last fight against Pinheiro taking place in the smaller cage. Namajunas has fought in the Apex before, during her time on The Ultimate Fighter.
UFC 301 takes place in Rio de Janeiro on May 4th, and Amanda Ribas is hoping for a dominant win against Namajunas so that she can make a quick turnaround to fight at UFC 301 in her home country.
Ribas has fought once before in Brazil during her UFC tenure, and that was back in 2020 when she defeated Randa Markos, in Brasilia.
“My manifestations for 2024 are simply being able to do in the Octagon what I do in the gym on a daily basis and to be consistent with my skills. I am training really well and just hope I can get this big win. I would love to fight at UFC Rio (UFC 301) as well and I would to get a bonus, hopefully, Fight Of The Night against Rose.”