UFC Vegas 101 results: Mackenzie Dern submits Amanda Ribas for revenge 5 years in the making

Mackenzie Dern def. Amanda Ribas via submission (armbar) at 4:56 of Round 3.

High kick is blocked by Ribas. They're going right back it. Right hand by Ribas. Let's see how long it takes for Dern to shoot another takedown. Dern closes the distance and ties up, muscling Ribas up against the fence. Ribas trips Dern to the floor and settles into top position again. She has absolutely no fear of Dern's bottom game. Dern snatches up Ribas' left arm! Oh dang, that's a deep, deep armbar attempt. Ribas is in serious trouble here. Ninety seconds left in the round. Ribas is being patient and crunching Dern's attempt. Ooooh, Dern sweeps into top position! That was slick.

Forty seconds left for Dern to work from the top. Big punches from Dern. She whirls for an armbar — and she gets it!!! WOW!!!! Frantic tap from Ribas with seconds left on the clock!

Wooooow. That was impressive.

Let's see if Dern can get this one to the ground again. And she instantly tries! Another single-leg — but this time Ribas defends and winds up in top position. Ribas needs to get out of here, Dern is still dangerous from the bottom. Looks like Dern cut Ribas around the right eye with an elbow during that transition. Ribas is working from the top with short punches but she's playing with fire. Dern unloads a few elbows from the bottom. Ribas continues to work from the top as we hit 80 seconds left in this round. Omoplata attempt from Dern! Oh my goodness, that was beautiful. She uses the position to start a scramble and tie up Ribas arms with her legs. That was wild, and Dern uses it to sweep into top position.

10-9 Ribas. (19-19 overall.)

Dern kicks low to start. Ribas goes high then low with kicks of her own. Dern charges inside with a stiff one-two. Ribas catches her clean with a left hand counter. Spinning back kick to the midsection for Ribas. Quick pace here right off the bat. Dern goes back to her calf kicks, then eats a right hand. Ribas pumps out her jab. Dern snatches a single-leg takedown and bull-rushes Ribas to the floor! Whoa there. Where's that been, Mackenzie? If Dern has figured out some wrestler, watch out.

Ribas locks up her guard and refuses to give the jiu-jitsu ace any room to work. Ribas isn't even trying to escape — she's just trying to run out this final minute on the clock. Dern still can't pry free. Dern drops a few short punches from the top as the horn sounds.

10-9 Dern.

Both women look focused. Mike Bell, Sal D'Amato and Ron McCarthy are the judges. Referee Mark Smith oversees the action. They touch 'em up and we're off.

Here we go, y'all. Nearly five years after Amanda Ribas upset Mackenzie Dern and handed the jiu-jitsu phenom her first career MMA loss, we're about to run this one back.

Keep it locked to Uncrowned for live play-by-play of this strawweight main event.

115 pounds: Mackenzie Dern (+165) vs. Amanda Ribas (-200)

Our first UFC main event of 2025 feels like it's getting unnecessarily overlooked. It's a better and more intriguing rematch than it's gotten credit for, but that's to be expected when a stacked night of action like UFC 311 is right around the corner.

The first Dern vs. Ribas fight admittedly feels like ages ago — and to an extent, it was. Dern, a perpetual terror on the mats with her world-class jiu-jitsu game, was on an undefeated 7-0 strawweight on a superstar's rise — then she ran into Ribas, who handed her loss No. 1 via a lopsided unanimous decision.

In only her second UFC appearance, Ribas, 31, styled on Dern. Although Dern had shown growth in her overall game, primarily with her punching power, Ribas was significantly more developed as an MMA fighter than her counterpart in 2019.

Ribas used her defensive grappling to force Dern into exchanges that saw the submission wizard eat punch after punch like they were biscuits at a Golden Corral buffet. That, of course, was made even easier thanks to Dern's inability to pull off traditional takedowns — she went zero for six on her attempts.

The latter is still a strong weakness in Dern's game despite having gotten ever so slightly better with offensive wrestling over the years. Dern typically tries to drag her opponents down with her body weight — no matter how ugly the technique may look — and her success rate varies mightily. That path to victory once again won't be there against Ribas, and Dern's technical striking is still a notch below.

Two extra rounds for a main event make this fight more interesting, because the opening three rounds will likely look similar to their first bout. As Dern has spent more time in the Octagon, opponents have become better prepared for her strong ground game. Although she's been difficult to stop entirely in that realm, Dern hasn't won by submission since a first-round armbar against Nina Nunes in April 2021.

Even if Ribas finds herself on the bottom, she's never gassed terribly and has yet to be submitted herself. Dern has her work cut out again as she tries to overcome what will likely be a similar game plan to the first Ribas fight.

Pick: Ribas

170 pounds: Santiago Ponzinibbio (-145) vs. Carlston Harris (+120)

The 2010s were simpler times. Santiago Ponzinibbio was on the rise, putting Argentina on the map and welterweights on notice — then the dastardly injury bug stole it all away.

Ponzinibbio hasn't been the same since his career-best seven-fight winning streak from 2015 to 2018. A once-brutal knockout artist, Ponzinibbio (29-8) is 2-5 in his past seven fights, a slump that began after returning from injury layoff in 2021. However, that record doesn't tell the whole story. Three of those losses were hard-fought, wild split decision affairs against Geoff Neal, Michel Pereira and Muslim Salikhov. And in victory, Ponzinibbio started the downfall of the once-promising talent Miguel Baeza before an absurd comeback knockout of fellow veteran Alex Morono.

Some glimmers of past brilliance remain in the Argentine's tank. His leg kicks remain lethal weapons, and his power hasn't faded in the least. On the other hand, Carlston Harris has been a kill-or-be-killed competitor of the highest order.

The Brazilian will likely make this a gritty bout, utilizing his grappling with his brawling ways, but Ponzibbio has, more often than not, been savvy enough to outlast fighters who try to grind him down. Chins will be checked in this one, but expect Ponzinibbio's to hold the longest — and him to crack Harris in the process.

Pick: Ponzinibbio

185 pounds: César Almeida (-275) vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan (+220)

It's great to see the UFC give us an extremely "middleweighty" fight to start 2025.

Longtime fans will remember the welterweight days of Abdul Razak Alhassan and his ferocious violence delivery system. Unfortunately, 185 pounds hasn't been as kind to him.

Alhassan only spent 37 seconds in the Octagon in 2024 and his lone encounter with Cody Brundage ended with a no contest due to some illegal elbows to the back of the head. It's been one fight per year for "Judo Thunder" since 2021. Meanwhile, César Almeida fought three times in 2024, making up for his gap of inactivity from December 2021 to August 2023.

There's a lot less tread on the 39-year-old Alhassan's MMA tires at this point compared to his 6-1 counterpart. That's not to say Almeida is a spring chicken at 36 — he's an experienced kickboxer with 57 matches (47-8-1, 1 NC). Alhassan has the power to be the first to knock out Almeida in his combat career, however, that's basically his only chance if he doesn't employ a heavy wrestling game plan, which is unlikely.

Pick: Almeida

170 pounds: Punahele Soriano (+180) vs. Uroš Medić (-225)

There's some major violence potential on Saturday between this fight and UFC Vegas 101's co-main event.

Punahele Soriano has been similar to Curtis with his inconsistency, though over a shorter span. After fighting to mixed results as a middleweight power puncher, Soriano made his welterweight debut in his most recent bout — a unanimous decision over Miguel Baeza. Against Uroš Medić, he'll have a willing dance partner to sling leather with.

I mentioned our beloved "kill-or-be-killed" competitors earlier, and Medić falls into that category, having never gone to the scorecards in 12 fights. He's been submitted in his two losses, leaving Soriano with an "easier" path to victory, though that's very much not Soriano's forte.

Ultimately, I think this will be a tough-man contest more than anything. Soriano's lone knockout loss came from body shots, as we've seen him take some wild punishment to the dome and keep coming forward. There's a chance this is someone's first knockout loss from head strikes, but I lean decision in either way, and Medić has the advantage with his striking defense and comfort at 170 pounds.

Pick: Medić

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More UFC Vegas 101 predictions here!