John Morgan: Amanda Ribas
Sure, [autotag]Amanda Ribas[/autotag] wasn’t in the highest-profile contest of the stretch, but she was also in the building for all three nights of action.
The burgeoning prospect picked up an impressive first-round submission win over longtime fan favorite Paige VanZant at UFC 251, stealing a little bit of that “PVZ” shine in the process. Then Ribas (10-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) showed up in the VIP section of Flash Forum for the remaining two cards, getting herself on TV each night and keeping her name on fans’ minds in the process. She also did a media scrum following her victory, essentially making her the first guest fighter we’ve talked to since the ongoing pandemic changed how fight weeks are covered.
Ribas appears destined for big things in the strawweight division, though she says she’ll compete at flyweight along the way, as well. But “Fight Island” proved to be her coming out party.
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