SUMMARY
- Amanda Ribas takes on Rose Namajunas in the main event of UFC Vegas 89 in a flyweight bout.
- Ribas predicted a third round knockout finish in her favor.
Amanda Ribas goes up against former UFC Strawweight Champion Rose Namajunas in a flyweight bout at UFC Vegas 89. Ribas vs. Namajunas will headline the event taking place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. This will be Namajunas’ only second flyweight bout, meanwhile, Ribas has been shuffling between flyweight and strawweight regularly. The Brazilian fighter, Ribas, believes she can get a third-round KO win over the former champion.
In an interview with TMZ Sports, Ribas oozed confidence. She claimed her hand would be raised at the end of the fight and she would be hoping for a big bonus. The Brazilian said, “I imagine my hand to the top with a big bonus because I’m loving this, you know, and maybe we [I] knock [Namajunas] out in the third round.”
(Watch from 12:05 minutes)
Amanda Ribas (13-4) has an impressive record up her sleeve in the UFC. She is ranked in both the strawweight and flyweight divisions of the promotion.
Amanda Ribas is the only fighter to be ranked in two divisions in the UFC
The black belt in BJJ, Amanda Ribas, has had an impressive UFC career. She made her UFC debut in June 2019 in the strawweight division. After three wins, she moved to flyweight and made her debut against Paige VanZant. She defeated VanZant at UFC 251 via submission. Ribas then shuffled again and amassed an overall record of 5-1 in strawweight and 2-2 at flyweight.
She is still ranked in both the divisions. The Brazilian is ranked #8 in the flyweight division and #7 in the strawweight division. Amanda Ribas explained that she loves to fight and it is easier to get into more fights in a year if she keeps changing divisions.
Her last fight was in the strawweight division. She faced Luana Pinheiro in November 2023 and defeated her via TKO in the third round. She is hoping for a similar outcome against Namajunas.
Rose Namajunas is optimistic about being a two-division champion after a successful weight cut
Namajunas has spent her career in the strawweight division which limits the weight to 115 lbs. The flyweight division has a weight limit of 125 lbs. Thug Rose is feeling more natural at flyweight.
In an interview with TMZ Sports, she said, “I definitely feel a lot more filled in, naturally, like more dense and stuff like that. Before, I was like eating a lot more just to try to keep up my weight and stuff like that. But, now I feel a lot more, naturally, just built like this. I don’t even know how I could make 115 to be honest really.”
With being more natural in the division, she hopes to earn accolades here as well. Namajunas is targeting becoming a two-division champion. She said, “To be able to say I’m [a] two-division champion, that would be awesome.”
#UFCVegas89 headliner Rose Namajunas still has greatness in mind. 🌹
“Becoming two-division champion this year would be awesome. … I do believe that’s very realistic.” pic.twitter.com/E0oEUypInm
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) March 20, 2024
Namajunas made her intentions clear during the UFC Vegas 89 media day as well. She has her sights set on the flyweight title.
However, the American has to break her losing streak first. She is on a two-fight losing streak. She lost the UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship against Carla Esparza at UFC 274 before losing on her flyweight debut against Manon Fiorot in September 2023. Namajunas and Ribas are in a well-matched position to set up a cracking main event in Vegas.