Amanda Ribas will need to be patient before they can finally face off in the Octagon.
Multiple people who are familiar with the matter told MMA Fighting that Ribas will not be able to face “The Karate Hottie”, due to an undisclosed injury. As a result, the UFC has decided to move the matchup to UFC 274 on May 7 rather than look for a new opponent for Ribas in March.
Ag. Fight the first Waterson withdrawal.
Ribas (11-2) has been trying to get a fight with Waterson since January 2021, but the bout has yet to materialize. The 28-year-old prospect is coming off a decision victory over Virna Jandiroba, which boosted her UFC record to 5-1.
Waterson (18-9) is a former Invicta FC atomweight champion who’s won six of 11 since joining the UFC as a strawweight in 2015, including victories over the likes of Paige VanZant, Angela Hill, and Karolina Kowalkiewicz. Waterson is looking to rebound from a short-notice decision defeat to Marina Rodriguez.
UFC 274 will take place in Phoenix, Ariz., and feature Charles Oliveira vs. Justin Gaethje in the main event. Following the additions of Ribas vs. Waterson as well as the Mauricio Rua vs. Ovince Saint Preux rematch, the card now features nine Brazilians.
Mike Heck contributed to this report.
