UFC Fight Night predictions — Rose Namajunas vs. Amanda Ribas: Fight card, odds, start time, live stream

Rose Namajunas is seeking to rejuvenate her profession in a brand new division. She’ll should cross a troublesome grappling check if she needs to enter title competition at flyweight first when Namajunas battles Amanda Ribas on Saturday night time from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Ribas (13-4) is aware of a factor or two about transferring weight courses. She is ranked No. 7 and No. 8 within the girls’s strawweight and flyweight divisions, respectively, one of many only a few fighters ranked by the UFC in two divisions. Ribas has extra expertise than her opponent at 115 kilos and that is a very good factor. She’ll need each benefit she will discover in her first UFC primary occasion towards her first former champion. Ribas has bounced between wins and losses over the past seven fights, however Saturday marks an opportunity to interrupt the behavior.

“It is loopy as a result of my fights are all the time like this,” Ribas advised CBS Sports activities. “It is good as a result of I all the time make a warfare. It isn’t simply pitter-patter. It is all the time combating with feelings. I used to be making an attempt to get higher at that as a result of generally I believe with my coronary heart. I have to struggle smarter, to assume with my mind and take heed to my coaches.”

Take a look at the total interview with Amanda Ribas beneath.

Namajunas (12-6) fell quick in her flyweight debut towards Manon Fiorot in Paris final fall. It was a shocking transfer up contemplating Namajunas was coming off a break up determination loss to Carla Esparza for the UFC girls’s strawweight championship. It was an appalling efficiency from each fighters, however Namajunas was nonetheless very a lot close to the highest of the pecking order. Current back-to-back wins towards present champ Zhang Weili saved her on the high finish of the 115-pound weight class. It appears, nonetheless, that her path ahead is at flyweight. Namajunas admits she rushed the Fiorot however believes her body and framework at the moment are higher tuned.

“I believe I may have possibly taken a bit extra time,” Namajunas advised CBS Sports activities. “Now I really feel like my physique is extra stuffed in and a bit extra dense.

“Even stylistically, I am a bit extra grounded with a few of my footwork. I believe there was a part the place I moved round lots. I am nonetheless going to do quite a lot of transferring, however when it is time to sit down on a punch, it is going to be extra grounded. I believe that helps extra defensively too so I am not simply leaping into one thing or working into one thing.”

Take a look at the total interview with Rose Namajunas beneath.

Beneath is the remainder of the struggle card for Saturday with the newest odds earlier than we get to a prediction and choose on the primary occasion.

UFC Struggle Evening card, odds

UFC Struggle Evening viewing data

Date: March 23 | Begin time: 10 p.m. ET (primary card)
Location: UFC Apex — Las Vegas
TV channel: ESPN+

Prediction

Amanda Ribas vs. Rose Namajunas: The most important X issue on this struggle is the absence of famend coach Trevor Wittman in Namajunas’ nook. Namajunas didn’t have Wittman for her failed flyweight debut. She mentioned it was circumstantial at the moment, however Namajunas knowledgeable CBS Sports activities that she’ll struggle as soon as once more with out Wittman with no affirmation that they’d reunite. Wittman’s void was sufficient for individuals to rethink betting on Namajunas. A vocal portion of the web blamed Namajunas’ fiancee and cornerman Pat Barry for her panned title loss towards Esparza, crediting Wittman because the voice of motive amongst her coaches. 

Even with out Wittman, I believe Namajunas is simply too steep a problem for Ribas. Namajunas has been competing towards the perfect strawweights on the planet for a very long time. Ribas hasn’t come near that stage of competitors. Ribas will not have the dimensions benefit that different flyweights have on Namajunas, nor the elite wrestling required to overwhelm her. I count on Ribas to get picked aside at vary. I have to see how Namajunas’ energy interprets up a weight class however the truth that Ribas has been stopped by strikes in 75% of her losses offers me some confidence within the end. Namajunas through TKO3