Mackenzie Dern has nominated Amanda Ribas to get revenge in the main event of an exciting UFC Vegas 101 card on Saturday night.
UFC fans felt the pain of a four-week hiatus following Colby Covington and Joaquin Buckley's fight in Tampa in mid-December. And they were rewarded for their patience with an exciting fight card that featured seven stoppages, six of which were KOs.
Highlights of the night included a 30-second KO and Christian Rodriguez ending a fourth undefeated streak in the octagon.
Mackenzie Dern and Amanda Ribas had fought once before
In 2019, Dern and Ribas competed at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, on the undercard of the clash between Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Michelle Waterson. Mackenzie Dern entered the fight undefeated, but made a big step up in the competition and returned just months after the birth of her daughter.
And Amanda Ribas managed to show her class over the three-lap distance as she handed her rival the first defeat of her professional career. It sent Dern down a difficult path of mixed results, leading to an eventual rematch years later.
“I feel like I was such a different person back then,” Dern told the media this week. “It doesn't even feel like I was. I feel like I'm a completely different person. And it was three rounds. I think we're at completely different stages in our careers.
“I've evolved in striking, wrestling and takedowns, just so much experience… I think I would still take losses in my career, and I'm still happy with where I am right now. “I think that's what made me who I am today, so I can't say, 'I definitely regret it,' but I think if I could go back again, I would wait a little bit longer.”
Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Ribas 2 RESULT
A key difference visible early in the first round was Dern's vastly superior attack from the first go. Legendary trainer Jason Parillo had turned things around for her boxing after arriving in the UFC as one of the most accomplished women's jiu-jitsu specialists.
Dern worked his way to a takedown midway through the first round, but was unable to make it a final position despite gaining the points. The second started with another takedown attempt, which resulted in Dern on her back after a huge reversal from Ribas.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
The second ended in a damp sob before the third ended up in the same situation. Ribas was in the top position, but that allowed Dern to push for submissions with her high-level jiu-jitsu.
And she managed to cross the finish line with just seconds left before the end of the third. An armbar was the winning entry to give her victory and revenge over a rival who handed her the first defeat of her professional career.
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