Amanda Ribas, UFC Vegas 101 weigh-in Credit score: Eddie Regulation/Cageside Press
The promotional MMA powerhouse that’s the UFC kicked off their 2025 with 14 thrilling fights on the UFC Apex on Saturday. The primary occasion was a strawweight rematch 5 years within the making as Amanda Ribas took on Mackenzie Dern. This time Dern walked away with the victory stopping the combat within the third spherical. It was a violent card, particularly the primary card portion as 5 of six bouts ended with a stoppage. With that truth in thoughts, this version of our matchmaking collection will characteristic a number of fighters which have particularly daunting paths again to relevancy.
Amanda Ribas
Amanda Ribas misplaced her second straight foremost occasion when she was arm-bar’d by Mackenzie Dern within the third spherical of their foremost occasion combat at UFC Vegas 101.
The pair first met in October of 2019 the place Ribas received a unanimous resolution.
Amanda Ribas entered this combat because the #8 ranked ladies’s strawweight and the #10 ranked ladies’s flyweight. Dern entered the combat ranked because the #6 ranked strawweight.
Ribas has regularly bounced again in forth between 115lbs and 125lbs and it looks like she’s going to proceed to take action (5-2 at 115lbs., 2-3 at 125lbs.)
Ought to Amanda select to compete at strawweight in her subsequent bout she ought to combat Lupita Godinez. “Loopy” is the #11 ranked UFC strawweight and is coming off of a unanimous division loss by the hands of Mackenzie Dern final August. Crazy additionally has a grappling background however isn’t practically as accredited as Dern so that would doubtlessly set off a wild standup battle between the 2 fighters.
Ribas was matched as much as combat Tracy Cortez in December of 2022, however the combat fell by way of due to a medical situation with Cortez. Tracy has gone 1-1 within the time since that bout was canceled. Cortez defeated Jasmine Jasudavicius by unanimous resolution earlier than dropping her first foremost occasion by the hands of Rose Namajunas. Between the frequent opponent in Namajunas with the frequent consequence and the truth that Tracy is ranked at #11 within the flyweight division, this combat makes an excessive amount of sense.
Ribas’s subsequent combat Strawweight: Lupita Godinez
Ribas’s subsequent combat Flyweight: Tracy Cortez
Carlston Harris
Santiago Ponzinibbio accomplished the rally and TKO’d Carlston Harris in a back-and-forth combat that noticed him drop the Argentinian a number of occasions. 37-year-old Harris is now 4-3 with the UFC and has been stopped twice in a row now, as Khaos Williams flatlined Harris final Could.
Carlston’s subsequent combat ought to be towards Themba Gorimbo. Themba can also be coming off of a devastating stoppage loss by the hands of an growing old Vicente Luque. Earlier than that he had received 4 fights in a row. It’s a combat that makes quite a lot of sense as each males had a step up in competitors of their most up-to-date fights towards former respectable contenders and each males had been completed. Nice measuring combat for each with the winner leaping proper again within the combine.
Harris’s subsequent combat: Themba Gorimbo
Abdul Razak Alhassan
Abdul Razak Alhassan was on the receiving finish of a scary KO at UFC Vegas 101 when he was countered mid mixture by Cesar Almedia. Cesar received a efficiency bonus for the KO and Alhassan took an prolonged time frame to regain consciousness and exit the cage.
Hopefully Alhassan is okay and makes a full restoration. Upon his return, Alhassan could have some work to do, as he’s 6-7 with 1 NC with the promotion. Abdul has not seen his hand raised in his three fights: He was submitted by Joe Pyfer in October of 2023, and had a No Contest towards Cody Brundage final July because of blows to the again of the pinnacle. Alhassan turns 40 later this 12 months, and he wants a win.
Abdul ought to combat the winner of Cody Brundage vs Julian Marquez. That combat is scheduled for March 1 so Alhassan could have time to recuperate, with mid-summer doubtless the earliest date, if not later. Each Brundage and Marquez are basically preventing to stick with the promotion as each have struggled mightily lately. Each males are extraordinarily harmful although, with Brundage providing much more of a grappling menace. Both we get a rematch with Brundage after the fast No Contest or a recent matchup towards the all the time thrilling, “Cuban Missile Crisis” that’s Julian Marquez.
Alhassan’s subsequent combat: Winner of Cody Brundage vs Julian Marquez
Chris Curtis
Roman Kopylov controversially stopped Chris Curtis within the last second of their bout on Saturday night time. A heartbreaking loss for Chris because the combat was backwards and forwards and undoubtedly the very best combat of the very restricted collection of fights for the calendar 12 months of 2025 so far.
The combat received Battle of the Night time honors at UFC Vegas 101, nevertheless it’s Chris’s second heartbreaking loss in a row. Curtis misplaced a break up resolution foremost occasion to Brendan Allen final April, tearing his hamstring within the course of. The 37-year-old labored his manner again to well being solely to undergo a damaged foot and one other harm. Powerful consequence for Curtis however so long as he’s wholesome, he ought to be thrown proper again into the combo.
Chris ought to get a very good matchup in his subsequent combat. Bo Nickal might doubtlessly be prepared for a big step up in competitors towards a tenured full MMA fighter. However the extra doubtless matchup could be towards the loser of Kevin Holland vs Reinier de Ridder at UFC 311. Ridder is a former ONE Championship Middleweight champion that efficiently received his UFC debut final 12 months. Ridder submitted Gerald Meerschaert within the last spherical of that bout. Holland was alleged to combat Curtis final 12 months coming off of his hamstring harm, however Curtis broke his foot. Holland has misplaced three of his final 4 however as standard, he’s all the time recreation, all the time entertaining and could be a enjoyable combat for a man like Curtis.
Curtis’s subsequent combat: Loser of Kevin Holland vs. Reiner de Ridder
Austin Bashi
Christian Rodriguez handed Austin Bashi the primary lack of his MMA profession (novice and professional) along with his unanimous resolution victory over the UFC newcomer.
Bashi went 12-0 on the regional circuit earlier than ending his Contender Collection opponent in September of final 12 months.
Assuming the 23-year-old wish to get proper again in motion after struggling his first defeat, probably the most logical opponent could be Jeong Yeong Lee. Jeong has an 11-2 report as a professional and is 2-1 within the UFC since being he signed with the promotion in 2023. Lee’s most up-to-date combat was final July when he was stopped within the first spherical by Hyder Amil. Lee’s aggressive hanging ought to make this a harmful take a look at for Bashi however a formidable win would immediately increase his inventory.
Bashi’s subsequent combat: Jeong Yeong Lee
Uros Medic
Punahele Soriano rapidly dispatched Uros Medic to open the primary UFC foremost card of 2025. Medic was dropped and completed in thirty seconds to deliver his report with the UFC to 4-3. Medic has misplaced two of his final three fights relationship to November of 2023.
However the high quality of opponent that Medic is dropping to is one thing that must be accounted for. Medic’s losses within the UFC are to Jalin Turner, Myktybek Orolbai and now Punahele Soriano at UFC Vegas 101. These are all very competent fighters.
Subsequent step for Medic ought to be a combat towards Phil Rowe. Phil has an identical UFC report to Medic at 3-3. Rowe is also a Contender Collection product though he appeared on the 2019 season whereas Medic appeared the next 12 months. Rowe misplaced his final two fights, a break up resolution to Neil Magny and dropping a unanimous resolution to Jake Matthews at UFC 302. Nice combat to make to determine who strikes up within the pecking order of the UFC’s proficient welterweight division.
Medic’ subsequent combat: Phil Rowe
