So, Mackenzie Dern is rematching Amanda Ribas at UFC Tampa on December 14 after all.
A day after removing the image confirming their fight, the UFC’s social media accounts made the Dern-Ribas clash official, along with three more fights.
Dern and Ribas have updated their rankings to match the latest on UFC.com.
In addition to that potentially pivotal strawweight clash, the UFC confirmed a battle between featherweight veterans Cub Swanson and Billy Quarantillo.
Something has to give with the matchup between Swanson, 40, and Quarantillo, 35. Both men have been alternating wins and losses over their last several fights. According to their recent pattern, both are due for a victory. Barring a draw in the match, Swanson or Quarantillo will be on a two-fight losing streak.
That’s a scary place around this time of year in the UFC. The promotion has been releasing or declining to renew the contracts of struggling veterans. On Tuesday, the UFC cut 12 fighters, including a former Olympic bronze medalist in taekwondo, Robelis Despaigne, a pioneering female mixed martial artist in Jessica Penne, and a Top-10-ranked flyweight in Matheus Nicolau.
The loser of Swanson-Quarantillo could find themselves in a similar predicament.
Along the same lines, veteran lightweight Michael Johnson is 38 and has an MMA record of 22-19. He won his last fight in February via unanimous decision over Darrius Flowers, but the fights have piled up.
Johnson’s opponent, Ottman Azaitar, may be even more vulnerable. Azaitar, 34, is on a two-fight losing streak, with the previous pair of defeats coming by KO. If he loses to Johnson, it would be surprising if he retains a spot on the roster.
No. 12 Tracy Cortez will tangle with Miranda Maverick in a women’s flyweight bout, challenging the former to maintain her spot in the Top 15. A victory for Maverick would put her in the Top 15 ahead of Cortez, and the question would be how far she falls with the loss.
That’s not a question Cortez wants to answer, and she always puts great effort into it, so it should be a fun fight.
Here is a look at the complete UFC Tampa card with all the confirmed fights and the rumored bouts likely to stick.
- Amanda Ribas vs. Mackenzie Dern (115 lbs)
- Dustin Jacoby vs. Vitor Petrino (205 lbs)
- Tracy Cortez vs. Miranda Maverick (125 lbs)
- Manel Kape vs. Bruno Silva (125 lbs)
- Cub Swanson vs. Billy Quarantillo (145 lbs)
- Michael Johnson vs. Ottman Azaitar (155 lbs)
- Said Nurmagomedov vs. Daniel Marcos (135 lbs)
- Piera Rodriguez vs. Josefine Knutsson (115 lbs)
- Navajo Stirling vs. Tuco Tokkos (205 lbs)
- Davey Grant vs. Ramon Taveras (135 lbs)
- Drakkar Klose vs. Joel Alvarez (155 lbs)
- Sean Woodson vs. Fernando Padilla (145 lbs)
This weekend, the UFC heads to Edmonton for a solid Fight Night card headlined by Brandon Moreno facing Amir Albazi, and Rose Namajunas’ clash with Erin Blanchfield.
Stay tune for fight week coverage culminating with post-event results and reactions.
