JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Activity is the name of the game for [autotag]Amanda Ribas[/autotag], even if that means taking fights in two different weight classes.
At UFC on ABC 5, Ribas (11-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC) will compete at flyweight against fellow contender Maycee Barber (12-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC). The event takes place Saturday at Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena with a main card on ABC after prelims on ESPN/ESPN+.
“For me, it’s good,” Ribas told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a news conference Wednesday. “When the UFC offered me 125, I can get (ready) with two weeks or one week for the fight. I always am training at my gym. With 115, I need more time. In my vision it’s always good when the fighter stays fighting. Last year, I did just one fight. In my planning, I was planning to do three fights. But God blessed me and I did one. It was good. So this time I hope I can do more.”
There are positives and negatives that Ribas encounters in each division. The less weight cut, the better she feels. But that doesn’t necessarily mean she performs better there.
“For me, (I prefer) 125,” Ribas said. “I can eat more. I feel stronger. At 115, I feel faster. Both are good for me. There is just this difference.”
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Ribas likes the upcoming matchup against Barber, who she views as a big name that will attract more attention. Should Ribas win, she thinks a top five opponent will be next.
“She is an exciting fighter,” Ribas said. “She has hype, too, so this is really good, too – not just for me as a person with sponsors and all, but for a fighter, a professional. When the UFC put me against her, it’s awesome because the audience wants to see. This is amazing.
“… I hope I can get the win. I’ve been training for that. God blessed me. Arms to the top. I think, of course, it depends the way the fight goes. I’ve showed with a lot of punches and kicks and on the ground and really exciting and then somebody wins with a really great bonus of the night. I hope (I) can get top five.”
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 5.