UFC Vegas 89: Rose Namajunas vs. Amanda Ribas Prediction, Pick and Odds

Fan favorites collide on March 23 as 'Thug' Rose Namajunas returns to her quest of becoming a two-division champion against Amanda Ribas in a five-round main event.

Still searching for her first win as a flyweight, Namajunas (11-6, 9-5 in UFC) has not won a fight in over two years, last beating Zhang Weili in 2021. After going on a 6-1 stretch that included two separate strawweight title reigns, Namajunas has gone 0-2 with back-to-back puzzling losses.

Ribas (13-4, 7-3 in UFC) has alternated wins and losses since 2020 while spending time in both the strawweight and flyweight divisions. Ribas last picked up a win over Luana Pinheiro at UFC Vegas 82 in a 115-pound bout.

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Rose Namajunas vs. Amanda Ribas Odds and Round Total

Rose Namajunas vs. Amanda Ribas Best Bet

There are several questions surrounding Namajunas at this point in her career but the matchup is an ideal opportunity to get herself back on track in a new division. With Ribas being a career strawweight, Namajunas is essentially getting a chance to fight another fighter her size without cutting weight and she is still the same woman who has two wins over the current 115-pound champion.

As a grappler, Ribas has struggled with strikers in her career. Three of her four losses have come by knockout (75 percent) including her last defeat to Maycee Barber. Entering her 18th professional fight, Ribas has not faced a striker better than Namajunas.

Despite giving up significant size to Manon Fiorot at UFC Paris while suffering an apparent injury, Namajunas still landed two more significant strikes in that fight.

Overall in her career, Namajunas has averaged 3.68 significant strikes per minute with an elite knockdown rate, flooring four opponents in 14 UFC fights.

Obviously, the value of this bet takes a blow if Namajunas shows up without Trevor Wittman in her corner again, but the difference in striking is too much to ignore. Namajunas' 62 percent takedown defense will also be the second-highest of an opponent Ribas will have faced, who completes 51 percent of her attempts.

When Namajunas has recorded a knockdown in the UFC, she is 3-1 with two wins by knockout. When Ribas has been knocked down she is 1-2 with both losses by TKO.

Prediction: Namajunas by KO/TKO in round four

Best bet: Rose Namajunas by KO/TKO (+140)

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.