UFC 251: Fighters and fans react to Amanda Ribas submitting Paige VanZant in first round
The first fight of the main card at UFC 251 in Abu Dhabi saw Amanda Ribas taking on fan-favorite Paige VanZant… and it didn’t take long for this one to be decided.
VanZant, who was the biggest underdog of the night, tapped out midway through the first round after Ribas locked in an arm bar that put things away shortly after 6 a.m. local time.
VanZant is now a free agent, as her current deal with the UFC is over, and this performance isn’t going to help things with her next steps.
The two fighters shared a nice moment right after the end of the fight:
Genuinely feel bad for PVZ — she’s a lovely person, was pushed heavy and got tons of grief for it, but never improved enough as a fighter to validate the attention. It’s been too much, too soon, with too many expectations. #UFC251
