Tabitha Ricci heads into UFC Vegas 115 treating Vilna Jandirova because the sort of opponent who may ultimately drive her into title talks with Mackenzie Dern, however she’s cautious to see it as one other step, not a end line. The Brazilian strawweight will tackle Jandiroba within the co-main occasion of UFC Apex this Saturday in Las Vegas. It is a three-round match between the highest three gamers and an rising contender attempting to interrupt into the elite ranks.
Tabitha Ricci makes assertion on Mackenzie Dern’s title shot in opposition to Vilna Jandilova
Jandiroba emerges as a longtime fighter, sitting at or close to third within the rankings at 115 kilos, following a current title shot at UFC 321 the place he misplaced a five-round determination to Mackenzie Dern however proved he can compete on the championship degree. Her total skilled file ranks within the low 20s in wins and solely a handful of losses. That is backed by unimaginable submission totals and years of exhausting work between Invicta FC and the UFC.
For Wealthy, it is a mission that can change the best way matchmakers are seen. She enters 2026 exterior the highest 10 after a run within the UFC with wins over Jessica Penne, Pollyana Viana, Gillian Robertson and Angela Hill, and difficult classes in opposition to names like Crazy Godinez and Yang Xiaonan. In keeping with Sports activities Database, her combined martial arts file is within the low teenagers with two to 3 complete losses, with a lot of the wins on her scorecard coming in small slices by submission and single stoppages by strikes.
Ricci admits this weekend is extra vital, however insists he views each look as the most important combat of his profession and that mindset has stopped getting misplaced in rating discuss.
“I really feel like each combat is the most important combat of my profession to this point. However there’s some stakes at stake on this one, proper? It is slightly crowded on the prime of the division, so if I can come out and carry out, I am proper to be in competition for the title. That is what I would like. I will be as imply as I can and provides my greatest efficiency of the night time to earn a shot on the belt.”
In Las Vegas, a number of the dialog surrounding the combat turned to the place of grappling in fashionable MMA, particularly after criticism of Charles Oliveira’s wrestling-focused efficiency in his current BMF title combat in opposition to Max Holloway. Jandiroba is a embellished jiu-jitsu fighter with greater than a dozen submission wins and a historical past of ending opponents with rear-naked chokes and armbars, and represents the epitome of grappling first within the strawweight division.
Wealthy pushed again on all her solutions in opposition to that a part of the game.
“I by no means say something unhealthy about jiu-jitsu. I come from a grappling background and that is my judo and jiu-jitsu background. I really like grappling and I actually assist jiu-jitsu within the weight class. I do not know the place this got here from, however I by no means say something unhealthy about jiu-jitsu or grappling. Whenever you’re a jiu-jitsu athlete and the match is on the bottom, it’s extremely thrilling. You understand what is going on on.”
The strawweight belt is on the road from Mackenzie Dern, who will face a line of contenders together with Jandilova and Ricci. Jandiroba has already fought Dern in 5 grueling rounds for the title, and Ricci believes a win this weekend could possibly be his ticket to that negotiation.
“I am all the time prepared to do something to get me nearer to my targets. If I win right here this weekend, I might wish to have a shot on the title like another fighter, but when it is not within the playing cards and it will get me nearer to the belt, whether or not it is a rematch with Yang Xiaonan, Crazy Godinez, or perhaps a combat with Gillian Robertson, I am prepared to go for it.”
Any of those pairings, particularly after Saturday’s win, would seemingly see Wealthy transfer nearer to title lane whereas Dern, Weili, and the remainder of the highest 5 kind out their enterprise.
