In a rousing start to Fight Night 2025, spectators witnessed a truly spectacular preliminary card at the UFC APEX on a busy Saturday evening. MMA enthusiasts were treated to remarkable displays from a range of fighters. However, the main card was the real highlight, where an undeterred Mackenzie Dern vindicated previous missteps against her seasoned rival, Amanda Ribas.
The event was energized by Dern’s prodigious victory. In addition to her triumph, she enjoyed quite a lucrative evening. She demonstrated her skill in the final moments of the match, skillfully defeating Amanda Ribas via submission with just four seconds left on the clock in Round 3. This marked a promising start to the year for the Brazilian MMA fighter.
SportySalaries reveals that Dern’s winnings amounted to a guaranteed payout of $570k. This amount included a $50k reward for performance, a victory bonus of $100k, and an additional $20k from sponsorships. The evening was indeed quite profitable for Mackenzie Dern, ensuring her win was as financially rewarding as it was professionally validating.
The defeated fighter, Ribas, was also handsomely rewarded for her part in the event. Ribas’ total UFC Vegas 101 purse reportedly exceeded $250k. Including her performance bonus, Ribas’ earnings rose to a respectable $415k, demonstrating that despite her loss, she was certainly not leaving empty-handed.
Moreover, other athletes present at the event also walked away with substantial earnings, contributing to a prosperous night for numerous participants. Case in point, Santiago Ponzinibbio and Roman Kopylov, whose salaries amounted to $365k and $225k respectively, indicating that the event was fruitful on an overall scale.
When it came to the action in the octagon, Dern’s dominant ground-and-pound strategy was in full display during the main event. She displayed her mastery by forcing a submission out of Amanda Ribas in the dying seconds of the third round—adding a thrilling crescendo to an already charged bout.
The clash between the two fighters was a dance of methodologies from the start. Dern produced an array of calf kicks and targeted deep kicks, while Ribas retaliated with a series of precise combinations, giving her a slight upper hand in the striking department.
In response to Ribas’s strikes, Dern showed her strength in grappling with a takedown that led to her gaining the dominant position despite not inflicting much damage. The second round saw Ribas turn the tables, reversing a takedown and putting herself in a superior position.
Although briefly in control, Ribas soon found herself under threat when Dern attempted an armbar. However, showing true grit, Ribas managed to fend off Dern’s attack, but that did not dim Dern’s deep-rooted expertise in the grappling domain.
As the final round unfolded, Ribas put in clearly aimed strikes that placed Dern on the back foot. This forced Dern to revert back to her speciality— her ground game. Subsequently, Ribas initially managed to counter Dern’s takedown, adding an interesting twist to the final round narrative.
Dern, however, had her own game plan. She used the final seconds of the round to her advantage, swiftly transitioning to a full mount that led to her executing an armbar successfully. With the clock showing 4:56 of Round 3, Ribas was left with no choice but to tap out. The tense climax to the fight had spectators riveted.
Dern’s triumph doesn’t just stand as a symbol of retribution against her past defeat to Ribas, but it also leaves everyone guessing about her upcoming trajectory. Her future in the UFC could take many forms – aiming straight for a championship title or perhaps confronting another contender before making that leap.
Regardless of what’s next, Dern’s thrilling victory over Ribas serves not only as a testament to her ability and skill in the ring but also as a shining example of her resilience and sheer determination, raising the bar in MMA and setting the tone for future UFC Fight Night events in 2025.