Amanda Ribas views Tracy Cortez as a highly intelligent opponent ahead of their women’s flyweight matchup on Saturday at UFC on ESPN 42.
Ribas (11-3 MMA, 5-2 UFC), who meets Cortez (10-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) at the upcoming event at Amway Center in Orlando, Fla., is of the belief that the result of the fight will come down to who displays the best fight IQ inside the octagon.
“I think it is a fight of the smart fighters,” Ribas told reporters at Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN 42 media day via BroBible. “Because for me, Tracy is really smart fighter, and I am too.”
To this point in their respective careers, Ribas and Cortez have shown that grappling are the most dangerous elements of their games. Ribas operates with a more submission and jiu-jitsu influenced approach on the mat, while Cortez has shown solid wrestling ability as she wears opponents down over the course of a fight.
Ribas agrees the outcome is likely determined by whomever thrives on the mat, but she isn’t ruling out the possibility that the striking plays a huge role in how fight night will unfold, too.
“We can show our striking,” Ribas said. “I was watching and studying a lot of Tracy. She can do this strategy at the beginning until the end of the fight. She throws punches, too, and for me I need to be careful of that with my game.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 42.
