UFC Vegas 101 begin time, full battle card particulars | Dern vs. Ribas 2

After a three-week break for the Holidays, Final Preventing Championship (UFC) is again TONIGHT (Sat., Jan. 11, 2025) with its first occasion of the New Yr as UFC Vegas 101 goes down later inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. Headlining the ESPN+-streamed occasion is a ladies’s strawweight rematch between Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Ribas. Within the co-headlining act, Santiago Ponzinibbio will battle Carlston Harris in a Welterweight affair.

What’s Scorching:

Many had excessive hopes for Dern when the Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist jumped into UFC’s Octagon six years in the past. In any case, she had proven promise within the minor leagues, leaping out to an ideal (5-0) file. She did begin of nice with two wins underneath UFC’s banner earlier than operating into Ribas in Oct. 2019, the primary lack of her profession in what was thought-about an enormous upset on the time. Dern was in a position to bounce again to win 4 straight earlier than operating into yet one more powerful contender in Marina Rodriguez, who defeated her by way of unanimous determination in 2021. It was after that defeat when Dern’s inconsistencies actually got here to mild, going a sub-par 3-4 since, which incorporates powerful defeats to Yan Xiaonan and Jessica Andrade, who beat the submission guru from pillar to publish because of a wonderful show of hanging. Dern snapped her two-fight skid in Aug. 2024 with a unanimous determination win over Crazy Godinez and now eyes her first back-to-back wins in 4 years in opposition to the primary particular person to ever defeat her.

Since defeating Dern, Ribas has additionally been very inconsistent with regards to getting again into the winner’s circle. She has alternated wins and losses over her final eight fights, with powerful defeats to Maycee Barber, Rose Namajunas and the aforementioned Rodriguez alongside the best way. Coming off a troublesome defeat by the hands of “Thug Rose,” Ribas is trying to bounce again and has the boldness she wants in her again pocket having already defeated Dern. That stated, Dern has made enhancements since their final assembly and can are available hungry for revenge and can try to make use of the momentum she has together with her most up-to-date win to push her by way of. A win for Dern received’t warrant a trilogy battle between the 2, however I totally count on her to come back out on prime right here in a closely-contested bout.

What’s Not:

Nurullo Aliev is undefeated (9-0), which incorporates profitable his UFC debut battle in early 2023 by defeating Rafael Alves by way of majority determination. He’s been on the bench for practically two years now, so will probably be fascinating to see simply how a lot ring rust performs into the battle. The matchmaking right here I don’t get as a result of his opponent, Joe Solecki, is at the moment on a two-fight dropping streak, so I might have appreciated to see matchmakers guide Aliev in opposition to somebody with a bit extra upside, somebody coming off a win (not back-to-back losses).

Authentic Card vs. Precise Card:

Preston Parsons was initially set to face Andreas Gustafsson at this occasion earlier than Gustafsson withdrew from the battle and was changed by Jacobe Smith, who can be making his UFC debut. Additionally, Nurullo Aliev and Yanal Ashmouz have been set to throw down at 155 kilos earlier than Ashmouz withdrew for unknown causes and was changed by Joe Solecki. Plus, Germaine de Randamie was in talks to face Jacqueline Cavalcanti on this card earlier than “Iron Girl” determined to name it a profession.

Accidents:

No accidents have been reported for this occasion.

New Blood:

There are a number of newcomers on this card together with Bruno Lopes, who will make his UFC debut in opposition to Magomed Gadzhiyasulov. Lopes is 13-1 up to now in his MMA profession, incomes his approach to the large present by way of the Contender Collection by knocking out Mikheil Sazhiniani in Aug. 2024. He could have a troublesome problem in his first battle as a result of Gadzhiyasulov is undefeated at 9-0, which features a win over Brendson Ribeiro in his personal UFC debut.

Nicolle Caliari will look to make a splash in her UFC debut when she battles Ernesta Kareckaite. Caliari is at the moment on a four-fight win streak and can be a Contender Collection winner, defeating Corinne Laframboise by way of submission final September. The Brazilian strawweight is 8-2 as a professional. As for Kareckaite, she got here up brief in her personal UFC debut by dropping to Dione Barbosa, so dropping her first two fights underneath the UFC banner wouldn’t precisely be supreme.

Smith agreed to step in for Gustafsson after he withdrew from his battle in opposition to Parsons. Smith is undefeated (9-0), profitable his battle on Contender Collection by way of second spherical technical knockout, his seventh win in that method. As for Parsons, he has seen higher days, going simply 2-3 in his first 5 fights contained in the Octagon.

Austin Bashi, 23, will make his UFC debut in opposition to Christian Rodriguez, puttung his 13-fight win streak on the road within the course of. Of these 13 wins, eight have been finishes — three by way of knockout and 5 by submission. He submitted Dorian Ramos on Contender Collection to earn his shot, and is now out to make a splash straight away in opposition to Rodriguez, who noticed his four-fight win streak go up in flames by the hands of Julian Erosa in his final battle, dropping by way of submission with 10 seconds remaining within the first spherical.

How The ‘Prelims’ Look:

Jose Johnson and Felipe Bunes will throw down in a Flyweight bout between two fighters coming off defeats. Johnson is coming off a loss by the hands of Asu Almabaev and is 1-2 in three fights underneath UFC’s banner. As for Bunes, he got here up brief in his UFC debut after getting knocked out by Joshua Van one yr in the past.

Thiago Moises has had an actual tough energy of competitors schedule with regards to his UFC fights, going through off in opposition to the likes of Islam Makhachev, Beneil Dariush, King Inexperienced, and Benoit Saint Denis, so there actually received’t be a lot that Trey Ogden will have the ability to throw at him that he hasn’t already seen earlier than. Nonetheless, Moises must be on his toes as a result of he can’t afford one other loss after arising brief in opposition to Ludovit Klein in his final outing.

Fatima Kline got here into UFC’s ranks undefeated (6-0), however her debut didn’t go precisely as deliberate, struggling the primary lack of her professional profession by the hands of Jasmine Jasudavicius final summer season. She’s going to attempt to get the dangerous style of defeat out of her mouth when she goes up in opposition to Victoria Dudakova, who can be coming off the primary and solely setback of her in any other case mint profession by the hands of Sam Hughes 5 months in the past.

Who Wants A Win Badly:

Ihor Potieira is at the moment using a two-fight dropping streak and is 1-4 general in his final 5 fights. All advised, he’s simply 2-5 contained in the Octagon, so if he loses his third straight it could possibly be the tip of the highway for him as he welcomes Marco Tulio to the Octagon. The UFC rookie will put his eight-fight win streak on the road in his promotional debut. Tulio is yet one more product of Contender Collection, with eight of his 12 wins coming by means of spectacular (technical) knockout.

Curiosity Stage: 5.5/10

Within the co-main occasion of the night, Santiago Ponzinibbio will battle Carlston Harris. Ponzinibbio was at one time thought-about a legit menace to the title within the 170-pound division, however has fallen on tough occasions over the previous few years. “Argentine Dagger” is coming off two straight defeats and is 1-4 in his final 5 fights. Granted, three of these fights have been razor-thin cut up selections going the opposite method, however the truth stays: he wants a win badly right here as a result of whereas he received’t get lower primarily based on his identify worth, he received’t be getting co-headlining slots transferring ahead. As for Harris, he’s coming off a 90-second knockout loss to Kalinn Williams (see it right here), snapping his two-fight win streak within the course of. All advised, he’s 4-2 contained in the Octagon, and a win over Ponzinibbio could be the largest of his profession.

One other matchup I used to be scratching my head at was the one between Cesar Almeida and Abdul Razak Alhassan. Almeida is 6-1 as a professional, 2-1 underneath the UFC banner, whereas Alhassan is a simply 2-5-1 in his final seven fights and hasn’t received consecutive fights in eight years. The mathematics merely isn’t including up after we speaking about degree of success within the fight world, which remains to be mind-boggling to me that with such a sturdy roster matchmakers can’t discover higher matchups. Then once more, information don’t matter as soon as they’re locked contained in the cage.

Chris Curtis lately made headlines after admitting that he didn’t settle for a battle in opposition to Alex Pereira as a result of he knew that the trail to victory was a really slim and arduous one, and since he accused his opponent of planting spies in his camp. “Motion Man” will try and get again into the UFC win column when he takes on Roman Kopylov in a middleweight affair. Kopylov is coming off a split-decision win over the aforementioned Cesar Almeida, bringing his UFC file to 5-3.

Kicking off the principle card is a 170-pound tilt between Punahele Soriano and Uros Medic. Soriano snapped his two-fight dropping streak final summer season by defeating Miguel Baeza by way of unanimous determination. He has a fair 4-4 file contained in the Octagon, however will look to go one up within the win column in opposition to Medic, who’s 4-2 underneath the UFC banner and is coming off a TKO win over Tim Means (see it once more right here).

Benefit from the fights!

Full UFC Vegas 101 Struggle Card:

UFC Vegas 101 Essential Occasion On ESPN+:

115 lbs.: Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Ribas 2

UFC Vegas 101 Essential Card on ESPN+ (7 p.m. ET):

170 lbs.: Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Carlston Harris185 lbs.: Cesar Almeida vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan185 lbs.: Chris Curtis vs. Roman Kopylov145 lbs.: Christian Rodriguez vs. Austin Bashi170 lbs.: Punahele Soriano vs. Uros Medic

UFC Vegas 101 ‘Prelims’ Card on ESPN+ (4 p.m. ET):

125 lbs.: Jose Johnson vs. Felipe Bunes185 lbs.: Marco Tulio vs. Ihor Potieria155 lbs.: Thiago Moises vs. Trey Ogden170 lbs.: Preston Parsons vs. Jacobe Smith125 lbs.: Ernesta Kareckaite vs. Nicolle Caliari205 lbs.: Magomed Gadzhiyasulov vs. Bruno Lopes115 lbs.: Fatima Kline vs. Victoria Dudakova155 lbs.: Nurullo Aliev vs. Joe Solecki

*Struggle card, bout order and quantity of fights stay topic to alter.*

Keep in mind that MMAmania.com will ship LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow protection of the whole UFC Vegas 101 battle card proper right here, beginning with the ESPN+ “Prelims” matches on-line, that are scheduled to start at 4 p.m. ET, earlier than the principle card begin time at 7 p.m. ET (additionally on ESPN+).

To take a look at the most recent and best UFC Vegas 101: “Dern vs. Ribas 2” information and notes remember to hit up our complete occasion archive proper right here.