Brazilian strawweight contenders Amanda Ribas and Tabatha Ricci are set to face off on the undercard of UFC 318. The bout is scheduled to take place on July 19 as part of the highly anticipated event.
The pay-per-view show in New Orleans will be headlined by a significant clash: Dustin Poirier, in what is being billed as his retirement fight, will meet BMF titleholder Max Holloway in a five-round trilogy bout.
Amanda Ribas holds a professional record of 12 wins and 6 losses. Within the UFC, she has a record of 7-5 overall, with 5 of those wins coming in the strawweight division, including a notable decision victory in 2021 over Virna Jandiroba, who is now ranked No. 1 at 115 pounds. Ribas has competed in various weight classes throughout her UFC tenure and is currently aiming to end a two-fight losing skid, having recently faced defeats against Rose Namajunas and Mackenzie Dern.
Tabatha Ricci enters the fight with an 11-3 professional record. After making her UFC debut in 2021 with a flyweight loss to Manon Fiorot, she moved down to 115 pounds and has since compiled a strong 6-2 record in the division. Her victories include wins over experienced veterans like Gillian Robertson, Angela Hill, and Tecia Pennington. Ricci is looking to bounce back and return to the winning column following her loss to Yan Xiaonan last November.
Marcus Blakely