Mackenzie Dern and Amanda Ribas are set to headline the first UFC main event of 2025, marking their second meeting in the Octagon. Their first fight in ‘19 ended in a unanimous decision victory for Ribas, but both fighters have made significant progress in their careers since then. Both Ribas and Dern spoke with Sports Illustrated’s Doug Vazquez ahead of their bout this weekend.
For Dern, this fight represents an opportunity to showcase her growth as a fighter and to address the challenges she faced during her first encounter with Ribas. Dern has openly discussed the difficulties of competing while dealing with postpartum complications after the birth of her daughter Moa, which she believes impacted her performance negatively in their initial meeting. “When I fought Amanda five years ago I was still a new mother and very much in ‘Mom-ish’ mode, still breastfeeding and dealing with hormones. Now that she is 5 years old, it’s a lot easier because she wants to go to the gym with me and be by my side.”
