[autotag]Amanda Ribas[/autotag] is happy taking the slow and steady approach as she pursues UFC glory.
Ribas (9-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) has already managed to make a name for herself in the strawweight division. She’s picked up impressive wins over Randa Markos, Mackenzie Dern and Emily Whitmire, and now the Brazilian is targeting a showdown with Paige VanZant.
At just 26, Ribas does not feel the need to skip steps as she tries to become champion. She wants to earn everything that comes her way and said patience will be a virtue in her long-term success.
“I think when we rush, we put ourselves too far ahead,” Ribas told MMA Junkie. “I think we need to (go) little by little, to get what we want. Sometimes my dad and my coach say, ‘Calm down, relax, train – everything happens (at) the right time.'”
Ribas, No. 14 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie strawweight rankings, might be patient, but she also attempts to look at her career from a realistic perspective.
If Ribas gets her desired matchup with VanZant and wins, she’ll be 4-0 in the octagon and in position for a big fight. After that, it’s possible a title eliminator wouldn’t be far behind.
Although the trajectory of every fighter’s career has been altered by the UFC indefinitely suspending its event schedule due to the coronavirus pandemic, Ribas remains optimistic she could elevate her career into title-shot territory within 2020.
“I think I’m an ambitious girl, so I think at the end of this year or the beginning of next year,” Ribas said. “I need more fights. I know that. Not just for the rankings, but for me. I need more experience with the UFC, with the fans and maybe the end of this year or the beginning of next year (I will be a title contender).”
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