Sacramento’s Paige VanZant has tough fight in overseas UFC bout

Sacramento-based mixed martial arts fighter Paige VanZant is set to fight Amanda Ribas on Saturday night at UFC 251. The bout is taking place in Abu Dhabi.

The fight marks the end of her UFC contract and she plans to test out free agency afterwards.

The match was previously scheduled for March 14, but VanZant had to withdraw because of a fracture in her right arm. Ribas decided to participate in the event, defeating Randa Markos, who replaced VanZant.

Both women are competing in the flyweight division of the UFC, each weighing in at 115 pounds. Ribas, from Brazil, is ranked 15th in the UFC women’s strawweight rankings and will be a difficult opponent for VanZant.

VanZant’s MMA career stands at 8-4, and is 5-3 in the UFC.

This story was originally published July 10, 2020 at 6:49 AM.