‘My game plan is to grapple’ - Ribas breaks down Waterson match up

Strawweight Amanda Ribas expects an exciting fight against Michelle Waterson at UFC Columbus

Strawweight Amanda Ribas is happy to take on an experienced veteran such as Michelle Waterson in her next outing. Paired against the ‘Karate Hottie’ for an intriguing bout at UFC Columbus, the Brazilian is not too worried about her opponent’s extensive record.

In an interview with Ag Fight, Amanda was not evasive about her gameplan and made her intentions clear against Waterson. Although Ribas’ priority is to smother and take Michelle to the ground, the Brazilian guarantees she will be ready for a stand-up battle, should the fight never hit the mat.

“She’s better ranked than me. We had signed the contract before, but she had personal problems and the fight didn’t happen. Now it worked and I think it’s time for me to go after someone who’s ahead of me in the rankings. I think she this is a good match-up. It’s good for both me, her, the UFC and the fans. Otherwise, it would not have happened.”

“Some people think she’s not good on the ground.” Ribas continued. “They think she only has kicks, but that’s not the case. I’ve been looking at her record and she has lots of submissions, too. It shows she’s good on the ground, she’s no fool. I have to be sharp. My gameplan is to grapple, but I want to show I can stay on the feet, that I can defend kicks and attack. She’s experienced. She’s has done main events before. That’s an advantage for her. She’s used to it. She has more UFC experience, but I think I’ve had enough fights so it won’t be a problem.”

In her last outing, Ribas (11-2) defeated Virna Jandiroba via unanimous decision, back in October 2021. Before that, the 28-year-old suffered her first Octagon defeat in a TKO loss to Marina Rodriguez, in January of the same year.

Now, Ribas is expected to take on Waterson and UFC Fight Night 205, in Columbus, Ohio, on March 26. A light heavyweight bout between former champion Jan Blachowicz and contender Aleksandar Rakic was scheduled to headline the event, but an injury forced the Pole out of the card. So far, the promotion is still looking for another main event.