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

Rose Namajunas seeks to rejuvenate her career in a new division. She will have to pass a tough fighting test if she wants to get into the flyweight title race first when Namajunas fights Amanda Ribas on Saturday night from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Ribas (13-4) knows a thing or two about changing weight classes. She is ranked No. 7 and No. 8 in the women’s strawweight and flyweight divisions, respectively, and is one of the few fighters ranked by the UFC in two divisions. Ribas has more experience than her opponent at 115 pounds and that’s a good thing. She will want every advantage she can find in the first UFC main event against her first former champion. Ribas has vacillated between wins and losses in the last seven fights, but Saturday represents an opportunity to break the habit.

“It’s crazy because my fights are always like that,” Ribas told CBS Sports. “It’s good because I always fight a war. It’s not just a beating. It’s always fighting with emotions. I was trying to get better at that because sometimes I think with my heart. I need to fight smarter, think with my brain and listen to my coaches “

Watch the full interview with Amanda Ribas below.

Namajunas (12-6) came up short in her flyweight debut against Manon Fiorot in Paris last fall. It was a surprising move considering Namajunas was coming off a split decision loss to Carla Esparza for the UFC women’s strawweight championship. It was an atrocious performance by both fighters, but Namajunas was still very close to the top of the pecking order. Her recent back-to-back wins against reigning champion Zhang Weili kept her at the upper end of the 115-pound weight class. However, it seems that her path forward is at flyweight. Namajunas admits that she rushed the Fiorot, but she believes that his frame and her frame are now better tuned.

“I think I could have taken a little more time,” Namajunas told CBS Sports. “Now I feel like my body is fuller and a little denser.

“Even stylistically, I’m a little more grounded with some of my footwork. I think there was a phase where I was moving around a lot. I’m still going to do a lot of moves, but when it’s time to sit down, a shot will be firmer. I think that also helps more defensively, so I’m not just jumping or running at something.”

Watch the full interview with Rose Namajunas below.

Below is the rest of Saturday’s card with the latest odds before coming up with a prediction and choosing the main event.

UFC Fight Night card, odds

UFC Fight Night viewing information

Date: March 23 | Start time: 10 pm ET (main card)
Location: UFC Apex – Las Vegas
Television channel: ESPN+

Prediction

Amanda Ribas vs. Rose Namajunas: The biggest X factor in this fight is the absence of renowned trainer Trevor Wittman in Namajunas’ corner. Namajunas did not count on Wittman for his unsuccessful flyweight debut. She said it was circumstantial at the time, but Namajunas informed CBS Sports that she will fight one more time without Wittman without confirmation that they would reunite. Wittman’s void was enough to make people reconsider betting on Namajunas. A vocal portion of the online site blamed Namajunas’ fiancee and cornerback, Pat Barry, for his much-maligned title loss to Esparza, and credited Wittman as the voice of reason among his coaches.

Even without Wittman, I think Namajunas is too difficult a challenge for Ribas. Namajunas has been competing against the best strawweights in the world for a long time. Ribas has not come close to that level of competition. Ribas won’t have the size advantage that other flyweights have over Namajunas, nor the elite wrestling necessary to overwhelm her. I guess Ribas will be destroyed from a distance. I need to see how Namajunas’ power translates to a weight class, but the fact that Ribas has been stopped by strikes in 75% of her losses gives me some confidence in the finish. Namajunas via TKO3