Returning to the Octagon for the first time in over a year, Paige VanZant faced a dangerous opponent in Amanda Ribas. Heading into the match, VanZant was a -600 underdog and it was immediately clear why.
Ribas needed just only one minute to get VanZant to the mat and from there she went to work. Despite blood trickling out of her nose, Ribas worked to lock up VanZant's arm. With an official time of 2:21 of round one, VanZant tapped to the armbar. And just like that, UFC 251, which features a whopping three title fights, was off to a quick start.
Despite the short finish, it was a long journey back to the Octagon for VanZant who hadn't fought since January 2019 due to injuries. She was originally scheduled to fight Ribas back in March but was forced to pull out due to fracturing her right arm (for a third time). Unfortunately for VanZant, this may have been her last fight in the UFC as her contract with the promotion is now complete. She owns an 8-5 professional record and is 5-4 in the UFC. Her loss to Ribas is her third in the past four fights.
While not unexpected, it was still an exciting win for Ribas who is now 10-1 and has a bright future ahead of her in the UFC. While she's considered a potential future champion in the strawweight division, Ribas does aspire to be like Amanda Nunes and become a double champ. Her fight against VanZant was a great test to see how she does at the heavier weight class and it's clear Ribas can compete at the flyweight division.