UFC 285: Amanda Ribas is the fighter to watch

UFC 285: Amanda Ribas is the fighter to watch.

UFC 285 is a major event as it marks the return of Jon Jones and the future of the heavyweight division. There are several fights across the card that demand the close attention of fans. But Amanda Ribas is the UFC 285 fighter to watch because she is battling to remain relevant at a time when the flyweight division is looking for a new contender.

Four years ago, Ribas was surging in the UFC. She was a new face in the promotion and the company was ready to promote her to the top of whatever division she decided to place herself. Her performances in the cage also commanded such attention as she put together four straight victories in the promotion. Those wins came over important names, including giving Mackenzie Dern her first defeat and sending Paige VanZant out of the company as a whole.

However, that momentum did not remain as she’s dropped two of her last three bouts. Those losses to Katlyn Chookagian and Marina Rodriguez opened up conversations about Ribas’s ceiling as a top challenger to a UFC championship. As she steps into the cage for the first time in 2023, a victory goes a long way in helping her remain relevant as a threat to a title.

To get that victory, Ribas will have to go through Viviane Araujo.

Araujo is riding her own streak that mirrors Ribas’s recent run. She’s dropped two of the last three fights, including a defeat at the hands of Chookagian and Alexa Grasso. She also made her debut back in 2019 and has since put together a 5-3 record in the Octagon. Coming into UFC 285 she boasts a 11-4 overall professional record.

UFC 285: Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane takes place on Saturday, March 4, 2023, live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. Follow along with FanSided MMA for all your live results and highlights throughout fight week.