Amanda Ribas vs. Maycee Barber is the co-main event for UFC Fight Night betting on Saturday, June 24.
This bout will take place at flyweight, with Ribas looking to string together back-to-back victories while Barber aims for her fifth win in a row. UFC betting lines opened with Ribas as a -163 favorite and she now sits at around -200 with Barber coming back at +170.
Here are my best free Ribas vs. Barber picks and predictions for June 24 from VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.
Ribas vs Barber fight odds
Ribas vs Barber method of victory odds
| Method of Victory | Amanda Ribas | Maycee Barber |
|---|---|---|
| To win by KO/TKO | +1,400 | +450 |
| To win by Points | +110 | +380 |
| To win by Submission | +500 | +1,800 |
| Draw | +5,000 | +5,000 |
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook on June 22, 2023.
Ribas vs Barber picks
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.
Not intended for use in MA.
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Ribas vs Barber betting preview
Amanda Ribas is the No. 9-ranked women's flyweight contender and is fresh off a decision victory against Viviane Araujo in March. The former Jungle Fight strawweight champion has compiled a 6-2 record in the UFC but has alternated wins and losses in her last four.
Ribas is an extremely dangerous grappler with high-level BJJ ability, However, she has also improved her Muay Thai and outstruck Araujo 98-46 in her previous bout.
The biggest worry about backing Ribas in this matchup is that she has been knocked out twice before. That said, both of those KOs came at strawweight and she might have a better chin now that she's not draining herself to 115.
Maycee Barber is two spots below Ribas in the women's flyweight rankings and defeated Andrea Lee by split decision three months ago.
Barber came into the UFC as a 20-year-old and made a name for herself by knocking out her first four opponents. That hype train was derailed in back-to-back defeats against Roxanne Modafferi and Alexa Grass, but she has since reeled off four straight victories by way of decision.
Barber is a physical fighter that likes to use pressure so that she can rely on her power and clinch work in close.
Ribas vs Barber tale of the tape
| Amanda Ribas | Maycee Barber | |
|---|---|---|
| 29 | Age | 25 |
| 5-foot-3 | Height | 5-foot-5 |
| 125 lbs | Weight | 125 lbs |
| 66 inches | Reach | 65 inches |
| 11-3 (2 KOs) | Record | 12-2 (5 KOs) |
Ribas vs Barber UFC prediction and best bet
Fight prediction: Amanda Ribas
At first glance, it might look like Barber is in better form, but while she's 4-0 in her last four fights and Ribas is 2-2, a closer look suggests that those records might be a bit deceiving.
Two of those wins by Barber were close split decisions with 20 of 20 media outlets judging that she lost to Miranda Maverick in 2021. The other split decision was her previous fight against Andrea Lee, and while that result was less egregious, she still didn't look good against a fighter barely in the Top-15.
The truth is that Barber hasn't really shown much improvement since looking like a future star at the beginning of her UFC career.
As for Ribas, her previous defeat was a back-and-forth battle against a longtime contender in Katlyn Chookagian, where she earned Fight of the Night honors. Ribas is the more skilled striker at range and if Barber tries to crash the distance and take this fight to the ground, Ribas is better there as well.
Prediction: Ribas moneyline (-188 at FanDuel)
Fight best bet: Ribas by submission or points
If you like Ribas and have a book that offers "double chance" method to win props, then it makes sense to shorten her odds by backing her to win by decision or submission.
Ribas hasn't won by KO/TKO since 2016 when she was fighting in the much smaller Max Fight promotion. She'll likely try to avoid an up-close brawl with Barber and will either outpoint her at range or use her superior grappling.
Keep in mind that Barber was controlled on the mat by Lee, who is far less skilled as a grappler and didn't really work for anything on the ground. If Ribas gets her in those vulnerable positions she'll sink in a sub.
Pick: Ribas by submission or points (-170 at FanDuel)
