Amanda Ribas returns to action on July 18. She takes on Fatima Kline in the UFC strawweight division. For Ribas, it will be her first fight since her loss last year against Tabatha Ricci. Kline won three fights last year and looks to get into the top 10 of the division.
Ribas is ranked tenth in the strawweight division, while Kline sits one spot under her at number eleven. The fight takes place at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. MMA Junkie announced the fight. We can confirm both contracts have been signed and the fight is official.
Amanda Ribas Needs A Win
The 32-year-old Amanda Ribas, out of Varginha, Minas Gerais, Brazil, has been a staple in the UFC strawweight division. She debuted in the UFC in 2019 and made an immediate impact by winning four fights in a row. She beat names like Paige VanZant and current UFC strawweight champion Mackenzie Dern. Ribas was close to a title shot but lost in 2021 against Marina Rodriguez. After a win against Virna Jandiroba, Ribas decided to jump on an opportunity to fight at flyweight against top contender Katlyn Cerminara. In a close fight, she lost via split decision. Ribas has since switched between the two weight classes many times.
She won against Viviane Aráujo but lost key matchups against Rose Namajunas and Maycee Barber at flyweight. Last year, she announced her permanent stay at the strawweight division. Ribas had a horrible 2025. She got finished by Mackenzie Dern early in the year, and in her most recent fight, she got finished via elbows by Tabatha Ricci. The impact of the finish was severe. A steel plate in her face had to be replaced in surgery because of the damage Ricci did in the fight. Now she is healthy and back to defend her top 10 spot against Fatima Kline.
Fatima Kline Quietly Climbs To The Top
Fatima Kline is one of the biggest talents in the strawweight division. The 25-year-old from Holbrook, New York, signed with the UFC in 2024 after becoming a two-division champion with the CFFC promotion. Kline signed on short notice to take on Jasmine Jasudavicius in the flyweight division. The American fighter lost via unanimous decision and was no longer undefeated. Kline announced after the fight that she would go down to the strawweight division, her actual weight class.
Kline started 2025 with her first UFC win by defeating Viktoriia Dudakova via vicious ground-and-pound in the second round. Kline then earned a performance of the night bonus by beating Melissa Martinez via head kick knockout. This win got her the opportunity to fight a ranked opponent in longtime UFC mainstay Angela Hill. Kline secured a unanimous decision victory over Hill, proving she is a top-15 contender. With three wins in 2025 at strawweight, Kline hoped to challenge someone in the top 10 of the division in 2026. That opportunity comes on July 18 when she takes on Amanda Ribas.
UFC Oklahoma City – July 18th
- Amanda Ribas vs. Fatima Kline
- Brad Tavares vs. Marc-André Barriault
- Dione Barbosa vs. Veronica Hardy
- Alvin Hines vs. Allen Frye Jr.
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