Amanda Ribas took a self-imposed break from competition following her loss to Rose Namajunas and feels rejuvenated going into 2025.
In what has been a rarity for her UFC tenure, Ribas fought just once in a calendar year during 2024. She was supposed to rematch Mackenzie Dern on the final event of the year, but the matchup was pushed back and elevated into main event status for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 249 event, which takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas (ESPN+).
Ribas (12-5 MMA, 7-4 UFC) said the time away was important before she ran it back with Dern (14-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC). She wasn’t thrilled with her performance in a headlining loss to Namajunas in March, and after a discussion with her team, she came to the conclusion a longer period between fights than usual was a necessity.
