This past Saturday in the featured prelim of UFC 267, Amanda Ribas (11-2) returned to the octagon to face fellow Brazilian and top fifteen strawweight Virna Jandiroba (17-3). Ribas was looking to bounce back after her first UFC loss which came back in January.
So far in her career with the promotion, we’ve seen Ribas display her great skills on the mat. However, her striking has lacked behind just a little. That really showed itself when she took on Marina Rodriguez back in January and got stopped in the second round.
The loss made Ribas go back to the drawing board and address some of the holes in her game. A matchup against BJJ world champion Virna Jandiroba seemed like the perfect opportunity to show off her striking and that is what Ribas did at UFC 267.
Ribas looked like a completely different fighter on the feet Saturday. She was incredibly loose with her hands and mixed up her combinations well. Ribas rocked Jandiroba multiple times on her way to getting a lopsided decision win to get her back on track.
What’s next after UFC 267?
This was a really big win for Ribas at UFC 267. After her first loss with the promotion, she said she had to figure out whether or not she still wanted to fight for a living. There were a lot of doubts, but she proved to herself and the world that she’s going no where.
After that impressive win, what should the UFC do with Ribas next? Well, I don’t think they should rush her right back to the top of the division, but they should give her a solid opponent that’s in the ballpark of her current ranking.
I think that the ideal matchup would be pairing Ribas with Tecia Torres (13-5). The Tiny Tornado has won three consecutive fights and she’s looking for a quality opponent as well. This would be a great fight for both ladies and it would give the UFC a solid contender on the upswing depending on who walks away victorious.