The 2025 calendar yr of UFC begins this Saturday, January eleventh, at The Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. The extremely anticipated begin of the 2025 combat yr begins with a rematch of ranked Ladies within the Strawweight Division. The #6 ranked Strawweight, Mackenzie Dern (14-5 professional, 9-5 UFC) is searching for revenge within the rematch that dates again 5 years. She faces off towards the #9 ranked Strawweight in Amanda Ribas (13-5 professional, 7-4 UFC) who gained a unanimous choice taking all three rounds unanimously the primary go round.
Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Ribas II
This extremely anticipated bout was anticipated to happen final month on the remaining occasion of 2024, UFC Tampa within the co-main occasion. The bout was rescheduled to usher in the New Yr as the primary occasion on ESPN+. The intrigue is deserved with each ladies having many traits in widespread:
Each ladies symbolize Brazil
They’re every 2-3 of their final 5 fights
They each maintain black belts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu
Amanda Ribas and Mackenzie Dern have each competed at Flyweight, however have settled in at Strawweight
They every maintain 5 skilled MMA losses
Every lady is 31 years of age
Regardless of this, the adage “rematches never play out the same” shall be examined. However first, let’s talk about how the primary matchup transpired.
Amanda Ribas vs. Mackenzie Dern 1
Amanda Ribas gained throughout all three judges’ scorecards 30-27. She dominated on the ft with a robust set of straight punches and defensively sound grappling. Ribas remained calm and didn’t get sucked into Dern’s takedown makes an attempt. Dern did land some photographs when she was in a position to transfer ahead, however by the tip of the combat, it was clear she wished to get the combat to the bottom.
When the scorecards have been introduced, no person was shocked. Each ladies confirmed sportsmanship and have improved massively since.
Mackenzie Dern for one, was coming off having a toddler a number of months prior. This actually impacted her cardio. Moreover, her most up-to-date combat was at a catchweight of 123 kilos, and he or she had a handful of fights above the 115-pound restrict earlier than coming into the UFC; she was nonetheless transitioning right into a pure 115-pound fighter within the UFC presently. Since that combat, Dern has labored on her hanging, and in her most up-to-date bout towards Crazy Godinez, Mackenzie Dern placed on an amazing efficiency utilizing her hanging and grappling to get the most effective of Godinez.
For Amanda Ribas, she has grown her sport as properly. Of their first matchup, Ribas was an excellent vary striker with nice Judo and Jiu-Jitsu. She was in a position to counter Dern’s tried takedowns and keep robust prime management. Ribas additionally was in a position to management the hanging vary with very tight-knit counterstriking. Since then, we’ve seen her incorporate extra kicks and much more stance switches into her hanging. All this mixed along with her excessive degree of grappling that she will fall again on.
So, who wins this combat this time round?
How Mackenzie Dern Wins
For Mackenzie Dern to win this combat within the rematch she ought to take quite a bit from Ribas’ matchup with Maycee Barber on UFC Jacksonville. On this combat, Ribas discovered a great deal of success. The place Dern ought to take classes from was her success in tight quarters with a violent barrage of elbows and knees.
Moreover, she must take her down. Within the first matchup, she was not in a position to chain takedowns and was promoting out for her single leg; she even tried to tug guard. If she will chain her takedowns, Dern can win minutes on the bottom as Ribas likes to play off her again and can roll for loopy submissions just like the leg lock. The black belt, Dern, would really feel at dwelling on the bottom with Ribas if she could possibly be in prime place.
The opposite notice to remove is that she must be prepared for a canine combat. Barber minimize Amanda Ribas early within the combat with an elbow after which acquired a minimize of her personal within the second spherical earlier than getting the stoppage. Dern must convey the strain and constantly be on the gasoline pedal. It’s onerous to interrupt Ribas as confirmed by her five-round conflict with Rose Namajunas however, this shall be key for Mackenzie Dern to discover a completely different consequence on this matchup.
Lastly, her finest approach of discovering success is by countering Ribas as she will get wild. Regardless of being a really sensible and affected person fighter, she tends to go for giant strikes. Whether or not it’s a judo throw or a spinning kick, these are alternatives for Dern to beat her to positions by catching her off steadiness. She’s going to typically promote out for her massive strikes, and this could result in alternatives for Dern to win minutes. Catching Amanda Ribas in transition shall be important for Mackenzie Dern to get the combat below her management.
How Amanda Ribas Wins
For Amanda Ribas to win this combat, she must observe an identical sport plan to her final combat. Just lately, we now have seen her get extra artistic along with her hanging in current fights. She ought to stick with her sport plan from the final combat which included being a affected person counter striker and sticking and shifting along with her jab. Regardless of being snug on the bottom and having a black belt in her personal proper, Mackenzie Dern has high-level grappling and may catch her in transition.
If she does go to the bottom, she wants to remain sensible; just like the final time they fought. She ought to exert a number of belly-to-belly strain. As well as, she wants to maneuver rapidly in transition and never promote out for any submissions. When Ribas appears to be like for floor and pound, she ought to keep tight and make the most of elbows and quick strikes, so she doesn’t present Mackenzie Dern with a chance to seize a limb. If these don’t work, she ought to permit Dern to face again up and proceed to make the most of her hanging.
The important thing for Ribas is to not get introduced right into a brawl. If she will management the place the combat takes place, she’s going to win this combat equally to their first encounter. Her hanging will get higher every combat so Amanda Ribas ought to depend on her lengthy weapons and repeatedly look to manage the cage.
Ultimate Verdict
There’s much more at play on this rematch. As each ladies have turned the nook on the age of 30, they each are operating out of time to make a title run. Regardless of each seeing losses of late, it has been towards a really excessive degree of competitors and a win on this matchup ought to earn them a combat vs a prime 5 opponent subsequent.
With all components thought of, it appears clear that the adage “rematches never play out the same” shall be false on this matchup. Ribas can compete with Mackenzie Dern in all places as confirmed in her current fights in addition to their first encounter. For Ribas, she will win on the bottom if she is in prime management and can win the hanging when they’re standing.
Dern has sneaky energy in her fingers and a slick grappling sport. Ribas will should be cautious when she counters Dern’s grappling and can’t get caught however, if that doesn’t happen. This combat will seemingly play out the identical approach it did in October 2019.
Though it needs to be anticipated that Dern’s cardio, hanging, and wrestling have improved; Ribas has improved as properly. They each have robust coaches of their nook, however Ribas has extra continuity in her nook. Ribas additionally not too long ago went 5 rounds whereas Dern has not in her final 3 bouts.
Prediction: Amanda Ribas by Unanimous Determination (49-46, 50-45, 50-45)
