The UFC Fight Night: Tampa Adds Three Exciting Fights

The UFC has announced three new fights for UFC Fight Night: Tampa scheduled for December 14. Among the highlights is the return of fan-favorite strawweight Mackenzie Dern, who will face Amanda Ribas. Ribas has shown promise in 2023 earning a highlight-reel victory over Luana Pinheiro with a spinning wheel kick and punches followed by a narrow decision loss to former champion Rose Namajunas at UFC Vegas 89.

Dern a grappling specialist aims to secure her first winning streak since 2021 and has the chance to avenge her only professional loss, which occurred against Ribas in 2019. In another matchup, No. 9 ranked flyweight Manel Kape will defend his position against the rising star Bruno Silva. Kape recently suffered a loss to Muhammad Mokaev at UFC 304, ending a four-fight winning streak.

Meanwhile, Silva enters the octagon riding a four-fight finish streak suggesting that the matchup aims to invigorate Kape’s decision-heavy fight history which has seen multiple cancellations. The third fight features Vitor Petrino facing Dustin Jacoby. Petrino suffered his first loss to Anthony Smith via guillotine choke in May, disappointing fans who hoped he would revitalize the light heavyweight division.

Now, he gets a chance to rebound and enter the top-15 rankings against Jacoby, who recently fell out of the rankings after a tough 1-4 record in his last five fights. Jacoby last fought in June, where he was knocked out by Dominick Reyes. Overall, these matchups promise exciting action and significant implications for the fighters involved as they seek to solidify their standings in the UFC.