Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) women’s Strawweight scrappers Amanda Ribas and Paige VanZant will battle this Saturday (July 11, 2020) at UFC 251 from “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. VanZant is one of her division’s bigger stars, but she enters this bout in a precarious position. She’s lost two of her last three fights, is on the final bout of her contract, and has vocally been complaining about fighter pay. Her back is against the wall, putting her in major need of a victory. Unsurprisingly, VanZant has not been given an easy match. Ribas has stormed into the Octagon to dominate three straight fights, and she enters this bout as the largest favorite on the card.
Let’s take a closer look at the keys to victory for each woman:
Amanda Ribas
Record: 9-1
Key Wins: Randa Markos (UFC Fight Night 170), Mackenzie Dern (UFC Fight Night 161), Emily Whitmire (UFC on ESPN 3)
Key Losses: Polyana Viana (Jungle Fight 83)
Keys to Victory: In three trips to the Octagon, Ribas has really proven her overall skill set. The jiu-jitsu and Judo black belt submitted a grappler in her debut, then twice displayed her sprawl-and-brawl skills to pick up decision victories.
Against VanZant, kickboxing is likely the easiest route to victory. “PVZ” does her best work with offensive flurries, but she’s largely abandoned those. Instead, she bounces around the outside, at once both out of range and vulnerable to getting swarmed herself.
Watch out for any weird flying kicks, but otherwise, striking exchanges favor the Brazilian.
Ribas is more decorated on the mat as well. That’s an area she has to be a bit more careful, as VanZant’s athleticism and scrambling abilities are both dangerous. So long as Ribas stays patient on the mat, however, the occasional takedown would be a great way to nullify VanZant’s wildness.
Paige VanZant
Record: 8-4
Key Wins: Bec Rawlings (UFC on FOX 21), Felice Herrig (UFC on FOX 15), Kailan Curran (UFC Fight Night 57), Rachael Ostovich (UFC Fight Night 143)
Key Losses: Jessica Rose-Clark (UFC Fight Night 124), Rose Namajunas (UFC Fight Night 80), Michelle Waterson (UFC on FOX 22)
Keys to Victory: Though her growth has remained inconsistent, VanZant remains a considerable prospect at 26 years old. “12 Gauge” is still a quality athlete with real skills on the mat, and her endless cardio will always be a pretty huge advantage.
At some point, VanZant has to learn to play to her strengths … one of which is literally strength! VanZant is strong, has a huge gas tank and is tough as nails. Those are the attributes of a grinder, a fighter who overwhelms her opponents with constant output and aggression.
VanZant’s best performances come from such fights, and she really needs to revert back to that style here. Ribas is too sharp on the feet to play technical. Instead, VanZant needs to bite down on her mouth piece, lower her chin, and fight her way into the clinch. Keep the fight at close distance and make it ugly!
Knees, elbows, takedowns — that’s ideal! Even if VanZant is the one tossed first, she can scramble back up into takedown attempts. Pressure is a must, as VanZant’s only real path to victory involves bulldozing her foe’s technical edges.
Bottom Line
This could be VanZant’s last Octagon appearance.
Based on her comments about pay and willingness to test the market, VanZant wants a raise. That’s unlikely to happen in UFC unless she wins this bout, so a loss almost certainly sends her elsewhere. A win could, too, but it would greatly improve VanZant’s leverage heading into negotiations.
As for Ribas, her goal appears to be the title, and she’s on the fast-track. Handing a “name” fighter a defeat to open a major pay-per-view (PPV)? That has to be one of the quickest ways possible to jump up a few more slots on the rankings and build momentum. Ribas very much looks like the real deal, so if she continues to perform well, she’ll break into the title mix before long.
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 251 fight card this weekend, starting with the ESPN+/Fight Pass “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ESPN+/ESPN at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
To check out the latest and greatest UFC 251: “Usman vs. Masvidal” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.
At UFC 251, Amanda Ribas and Paige VanZant will open the main card. Which woman will earn the victory?