Amanda Ribas vs. Michelle Waterson in the works for March 26 UFC event
Top-ranked strawweights Amanda Ribas and Michelle Waterson will soon face off at a UFC Fight Night card on March 26, multiple people with knowledge of the booking told MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz and Damon Martin.
The card is expected to take place at Las Vegas’ UFC APEX and will feature former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz taking on Aleksandar Rakic in the headlining bout.
Ribas (11-2) recently rebounded from her first UFC loss, a second-round knockout to rising contender Marina Rodriguez, with a decision over former Invicta FC champion Virna Jandiroba.
Ribas, ranked No. 8 in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, now holds a 5-1 UFC record with wins over the likes of Mackenzie Dern, Paige VanZant, and Randa Markos.
Waterson (18-9), who sits at No. 11 in the strawweight division, lost a five-round decision to Rodriguez in her most recent octagon appearance in May, eight months after a split decision victory over Angela Hill.
A former atomweight titleholder under the Invicta FC banner, “The Karate Hottie” has wins over Karolina Kowalkiewicz, Felice Herrig, and VanZant in the UFC.