Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC. Pictured: Marina Rodriguez and Amanda Ribas square off.
Marina Rodriguez vs. Amanda Ribas Odds
| Rodriguez odds | +260 |
| Ribas odds | -350 |
| Over/Under | 2.5 (-218/+165) |
| Venue | Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi |
| Time | Approx. 10 p.m. ET |
| Channel | ESPN PPV |
| Odds as of Friday evening and via PointsBet | |
Amanda Ribas has established herself as one of the rising stars of the strawweight division, and she’ll look to move to 5-0 since joining the UFC as she meets fellow Brazilian Marina Rodriguez in the first bout of the pay-per-view portion of the card Saturday night.
Ribas most recently defeated Paige VanZant via submission back in July at UFC 251. Rodriguez is 2-1-2 since joining the company, and is coming off her first loss, a split decision result against Carla Esparza on July 26.
Who has the edge in this one? I’ll break down the matchup and betting odds below, and you can find my full breakdown of Saturday’s card here.
Tale of the Tape
| Rodriguez | Ribas | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 12-1-2 | 10-1 |
| Avg. Fight Time | 13:01 | 9:53 |
| Height | 5’6″ | 5’3″ |
| Weight (pounds) | 115 lbs. | 115 lbs. |
| Reach (inches) | 65″ | 66″ |
| Stance | Orthodox | Orthodox |
| Date of birth | 4/29/87 | 8/26/93 |
| Sig Strikes Per Min | 5.04 | 4.71 |
| SS Accuracy | 50% | 45% |
| SS Absorbed Per Min | 3.31 | 1.67 |
| SS Defense | 52% | 73% |
| Take Down Avg | 0.38 | 2.28 |
| TD Acc | 33% | 54% |
| TD Def | 61% | 85% |
| Submission Avg | 0.2 | 1.9 |
Rodriguez vs. Ribas Betting Pick
Earlier, I said I would be upfront about any potential biases, and Amanda Ribas – a rising star in the strawweight division – falls firmly into that category; I am a fan.
Fortunately, I don’t see any betting angle worth playing on this fight, and I don’t have to justify either taking up a position on Ribas or passing on a bet against her.
Rodriguez is stepping in on short notice for Michelle Waterson – and late replacements carry just a 38% win rate in the UFC, but her striking acumen (5.05 strikes landed per minute, 50% accuracy) is superior to Ribas’ – and she should have a major edge on the feet if Ribas doesn’t get the fight to the ground (2.28 takedowns landed per 15 minutes, 54% accuracy).
Unfortunately for Rodriguez, she’s not particularly adept off of her back, so if the black-belt judoka does take her for a ride, she’s likely to remain there for the duration of the round.
As a result, it’s hard to pick against Ribas in this spot – if she sticks to a grappling heavy game plan, she should win minutes with ease and cruise to her fifth consecutive win with the promotion. I’ll pass on betting this one, but you can see the other matches I’m betting at UFC 257 in my full breakdown.
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