The UFC officially returns this Saturday, and to the Apex Center of all places, with UFC Fight Night Dern vs Ribas. While it’s not the most star-studded card to open the year, it does feature a solid main event, and a few hidden gems, including two debuts of undefeated prospects.

Mackenzie Dern vs Amanda Ribas

The Main event of the evening features two familiar foes, Mackenzie Dern and Amanda Ribas, who face off in a rematch from 2019 in which Ribas won an easy decision. Now in the Straweight division, Dern looks to enact her revenge … The problem? Both fighters seem to be in the same place they were in 2019.

Mackenzie Dern, the former number one ranked IBJJF superstar is by far the best jiu-jitsu practitioner in her division, an accolade that is the primary reason she has reached the number 6 ranking. While her striking game has remained one dimensional, she has developed a recent reputation for being incredibly tough, as her wars with Amanda Lemos and Angela Hill proved. Amanda Ribas on the other hand, has remained consistent her entire career, but has yet to make a huge break-through to the upper echelon of the division. She certainly has the tools to, and is the much more well rounded fighter in this bout. A black belt of her own in jiu-jitsu, but clearly at a grappling disadvantage in this fight, Ribas’s path to victory hinges on her quickness and superior striking, while looking to avoid the clinch situations that Dern will try to force.

It’s a solid main event, but given the fact that Dern hasn’t improved as much in the striking as Ribas, we think that the outcome will remain the same as it did the first time around.

Christian Rodriguez vs Austin Bashi 

Another fight to watch on the main card is the Featherweight bout between Christian Rodriguez and Austin Bashi. Bashi, making his official UFC debut, burst onto the scene last year during Dana White’s Contender Series, where he submitted Dorian Ramos in the second round. The undefeated prospect is a phenomenal grappler who puts a tremendous pace on his opponents , shooting an average of over a takedown per minute in his regional fights.

He takes on Christian “The Prospect Killer” Rodriguez … I say “Prospect Killer” in quotations because of recent, that has been what Christian Rodriguez has been famous for. Prior to his loss against Julian Erosa at Fight Night Namajunas vs Cortez, Rodriguez had defeated three undefeated prospects in a row; Raul Rosas Jr, Cameron Saaiman, and Isaac Dulgarian.

Bashi should prove to be the toughest prospect Rodriguez has faced to date, and he should get the win in this one, but there is something spooky about how Rodriguez has handled other undefeated fighters, so don’t be shocked if he finds a way to pull out a win.

Preston Parsons vs Jacobe Smith

Austin Bashi isn’t the only undefeated prospect from Dana White’s Contender Series making their debut this Saturday … Jacobe Smith, who is one letter away from sharing a name with me, takes on Preston Parsons in his very first UFC contest. The former Oklahoma State wrestler puts his 9-0 record on the line, while Parsons is looking for a “get right” win, after dropping a unanimous decision to Oban Elliot at UFC 304.

The Vegas money is heavy on Smith, despite him replacing Andreas Gustafsson on short notice, and it’s no surprise why. In his DWCS debut, Smith earned a dominant stoppage over Christien Savoie via elbows in the 2nd round during a fight in which he impressed with his grappling.

Follow the Combat Zone on X for all your MMA & Wrestling news! 

1/8/2025