Michelle Waterson and Amanda Ribas will meet at a UFC event in March.
The bout was first reported by sources at MMA Fighting. While the two fighters were scheduled to fight on the UFC 257 card back in January, the fight fell apart after Waterson was forced out of the fight. As of this writing, the location of the event has yet to be announced.
Michelle Waterson, 35, lost her last UFC contest. “The Karate Hottie” met Marina Rodriguez but was unable to handle the striking of the Brazilian. Prior to being paired with Rodriguez, the 18-9 fighter was tasked with facing Angela Hill. The fight showcased some of her karate tools. While “Overkill” held her own, she struggled with the sidekicks of the karate-based Waterson. Training out of New Mexico’s Jackson-Wink gym, she has steadily crafted her skills, and her toolbox meshes well with the talent available at the gym.
Amanda Ribas, 28, burst onto the UFC scene in a dramatic fashion. The 11-2 fighter was first paired against Emily Whitmire in her UFC debut. The fight lasted two rounds. In the end, Amanda Ribas was able to implement her game and the fight’s result would end in a rear-naked choke in round two for the debutante.
Michelle Waterson and Amanda Ribas Throw Down This March
Ribas is returning to action after a dominant win against Virna Jandiroba at UFC 267. However, before she found success against Jandiroda, Ribas too suffered at the sharp hands of Marina Rodriguez. In spite of Ribas’ setbacks in the octagon, it’s clear she has talents on the feet and on the canvas. While she is still young and learning the intricacies of the game, her potential as a fighter is as high as they come.
Without a doubt, the bout is a pivotal one, as the title picture has been cleaning up lately. In addition, it’s a huge opportunity for Waterson to erase her last loss and get back in the win column.
Currently, on the same card, the former 205-pound champion Jan Blachowicz will make his targeted return against Aleksandar Rakić after losing his title to Glover Teixeira back in late October.
With the addition of Michelle Waterson vs. Amanda Ribas, here is a tentative lineup for the UFC event scheduled for March 26.
- Jan Błachowicz vs. Aleksandar Rakić
- Michelle Waterson vs. Amanda Ribas
- Sara McMann vs. Karol Rosa
Do you think the winner between Michelle Waterson and Amanda Ribas will get a title shot next?
