Tabatha Ricci heads into UFC Vegas 115 treating Virna Jandiroba because the type of opponent who can lastly push her right into a title dialog with Mackenzie Dern, however she is cautious to border it as another step reasonably than a end line. The Brazilian strawweight meets Jandiroba within the co-main occasion this Saturday on the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, a three-round bout between a top-three fixture and a rising contender making an attempt to interrupt into the elite.
Tabatha Ricci plans assertion vs. Virna Jandiroba to earn Mackenzie Dern title shot
Jandiroba arrives because the established title at 115 kilos, sitting at or across the No. 3 spot within the rankings after a current title problem towards Mackenzie Dern at UFC 321, the place she dropped a five-round determination however proved she will hold at championship degree. Her general skilled report sits within the low-20s for wins with solely a handful of defeats, backed by a formidable submission whole and years of labor between Invicta FC and the UFC.
For Ricci, that is the type of project that adjustments how matchmakers view her. She entered 2026 on the perimeter of the highest 10 after a UFC run that features wins over Jessica Penne, Polyana Viana, Gillian Robertson, and Angela Hill, together with onerous classes towards names like Crazy Godinez and Yan Xiaonan. Sports activities databases listing her general MMA report within the low-teens for whole fights with two to a few losses, most of her victories approaching the scorecards with a smaller slice by submission and a single stoppage by way of strikes.
Ricci admits this weekend carries extra weight however insists she treats each look as the largest struggle of her profession, a mindset that stops her getting misplaced in rankings speak.
“I really feel each struggle is the largest struggle of my profession to this point. This one has some stakes hooked up to it although, proper? It’s a little bit crowded on the high of the division, so if I am going on the market and get a efficiency, I’m proper in that title dialogue. That’s what I need. I’m going to go as vicious as I can, try to get my greatest efficiency of the night time, and get my problem for the belt.”
In Las Vegas, a number of the dialog round this matchup drifted to grappling’s place in trendy MMA, particularly after criticism of Charles Oliveira’s wrestling-heavy efficiency in a current BMF title struggle with Max Holloway. Jandiroba, a adorned jiu-jitsu participant with upward of a dozen submission wins and a historical past of ending opponents with rear-naked chokes and armbars, represents that grappling-first archetype contained in the strawweight division.
Ricci pushed again on any suggestion she has turned towards that a part of the game.
“I by no means say something dangerous about jiu-jitsu. I come from grappling, that’s my background in judo and jiu-jitsu. I like the grappling and I actually assist the jiu-jitsu within the division. I don’t know the place this got here from, however I don’t have something dangerous to say about jiu-jitsu or grappling. For those who’re a jiu-jitsu participant and the struggle goes to the bottom, it’s very thrilling as a result of you recognize what’s occurring.”
Over the strawweight belt hangs Mackenzie Dern, and now faces a queue of contenders that features each Jandiroba and Ricci. Jandiroba already went 5 onerous rounds with Dern in her title bid, whereas Ricci now sees a win this weekend as her ticket into these conversations.
“Any time, no matter takes me nearer to my objectives, I’ll be keen to do it. With a victory right here this weekend I’d love a title shot, like several fighter, but when that’s not within the playing cards and it’s a rematch with Yan Xiaonan, Crazy Godinez, or possibly even a struggle towards Jillian Robertson, I’m open to it if it will get me nearer to the belt.”
Any of these pairings, particularly after a win on Saturday, would hold Ricci near the title lane whereas Dern, Weili and the remainder of the highest 5 type out their very own enterprise.
