UFC takes first hits of 2025 as Mackenzie Dern vs Amanda Ribas 2 loses multiple fights
01/06/2025 01:40 PM
The first UFC event of 2025 takes place at The Apex in Las Vegas this coming weekend, with the card headlined by strawweight contenders Mackenzie Dern and Amanda Ribas.
Unfortunately, the promotion has just confirmed that two of the scheduled bouts on that card have fallen through – luckily, two replacement fighters have already been found.
Updates to the first UFC event of 2025: Mackenzie Dern vs Amanda Ribas 2
The UFC's festive break is almost over, with 14 fights currently scheduled for the first official Fight Night event of 2025, headlined by popular strawweight contenders Mackenzie Dern and Amanda Ribas.
As confirmed only a few minutes ago by the UFC, two bouts have sadly fallen through.
Yanal Ashmouz's lightweight fight against Nurullo Aliev has been canceled (Ashmouz withdrew), along with Andreas Gustafsson's welterweight clash against Preston Parsons (Gustafsson withdrew).
Luckily, both Aliev and Parsons will remain on the card, as late-notice replacements have already been found.
Replacing Ashmouz will be Dana White's Contender Series alumni Joe Solecki, whilst Gustafsson will be replaced by undefeated American Jacobe Smith.
Solecki might be coming off back-to-back UFC losses to Drakkar Klose and Grant Dawson, but has remained active in the grappling scene, scoring a slick first-round submission win at Fury Pro Grappling 11 in November.
Smith is 9-0 as a professional and could be a future star-in-the-making, with seven of those nine wins coming via KO/TKO – including six inside the very first round.
With those two alternative bouts now confirmed, UFC Fight Night: Dern vs Ribas 2 takes shape with 14 scheduled fights – including a six-fight main card.
- Mackenzie Dern vs Amanda Ribas
- Santiago Ponzinibbio vs Carlston Harris
- Cesar Almeida vs Abdul Razak Alhassan
- Chris Curtis vs Roman Kopylov
- Christian Rodriguez vs Austin Bashi
- Punahele Soriano vs Uros Medic
The prelims are set to feature the following athletes and bouts.
- Jose Johnson vs Felipe Bunes
- Marco Tulio vs Ihor Potieria
- Thiago Moises vs Trey Ogden
- Preston Parsons vs Jacobe Smith
- Ernesta Kareckaite vs Nicolle Caliari
- Magomed Gadzhiyasulov vs Bruno Lopes
- Fatima Kline vs Viktoriia Dudakova
- Nurullo Aliev vs Joe Solecki
The event is scheduled for Saturday, January 11 – here's to kicking off 2025 with a bang.
