Updated March 17, 2024By Chris Boline
What: The main event contests at UFC on ESPN: Ribas vs. Namajunas aka UFC Vegas 89 aka UFC on ESPN 53
Who: UFC Women’s Flyweight fight: Amanda Ribas vs. Rose Namajunas & UFC Men’s Heavyweight fight: Justin Tafa vs. Karl Williams
When: Saturday, March 23, 2024
Where: UFC Apex in Enterprise, Nevada
In what should be a great matchup, Rose Namajunas takes on Amanda Ribas this weekend in Las Vegas with a shot to advance up the UFC women’s flyweight rankings. Regarding your UFC Vegas 89 betting, this bout should be at the top of your list as it features two of the most exciting female fighters in the sport and is the main event on this card for a reason. Namajunas is a former two-time UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion while her opponent is currently ranked within the top ten of this division. In the other main bout of the evening, Justin Tafa squares off against Karl Williams in a bout to move up the ranks in the UFC heavyweight division. Both imposing fighters, Williams currently boasts a 9-1 record and is aiming to keep the good times rolling in the knockout division.
For this report, SBS will be going over what to look for from each fighter along with a predicted winner in each bout and even more notes regarding your UFC Vegas 89 betting.
UFC Vegas 89 Main Event BoutsThe Pick
Amanda Ribas vs. Rose NamajunasNamajunas-177-177-177Justin Tafa vs. Karl WilliamsWilliams-214-214-214
UFC Women’s Flyweight contest overview: Amanda Ribas vs. Rose Namajunas
Fighter Spotlight: Rose Namajunas
As noted above, Namajunas is a two-time former UFC champion and is currently ranked as the eighth overall fighter in the UFC women’s pound-for-pound rankings. During the course of her career, she has fought some of the toughest competitors in the company. Moreover, she has accrued wins over the likes of Joanna Jędrzejczyk (twice and once for the UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship) and Zhang Weili (also twice). Moreover, while she lost her belt to Jessica Andrade in Brazil in 2019, she was able to notch a win in the rematch bout in the following year. In her career, she has an overall mark of 11-6, with five submission victories. However, she has had some trouble as of late, losing back-to-back fights, including flyweight debut against Manon Fiorot last year.
Fighter Spotlight: Amanda Ribas
Ribas enters this fight looking to knock off the former champion and vault herself up the flyweight ranks with a huge win. The Brazilian fighter has put together a record of 13-4 in her MMA career and has already notched multiple Fight of the Night/Performance of the Night showcases. A fighter who is recognized as a top ten combatant in two weight classes (strawweight at No. 7 and flyweight at No. 8), Ribas is a skilled jiu-jitsu and judo athlete. In her last match against Luana Pinheiro back in November, she was able to score a third-round TKO over her opponent with a spinning wheel kick in a Performance of the Night showcase. She is also a former title holder, notching the strawweight championship in Jungle Fight and Max Fight.
Prediction: A bout that brings a lot of styles to the table, take Namajunas to rebound here against Ribas in Las Vegas.
Rose NamajunasTo win vs. Amanda Ribas
-177
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UFC Men’s Heavyweight contest breakdown: Justin Tafa vs. Karl Williams
Fighter Spotlight: Justin Tafa
Tafa enters this fight with Williams coming off a strong knockout win over Austen Lane at UFC 293. With a career mark of 7-3, the 30-year-old is a rare fighter who has won all of his bouts in one fashion: knockout. In fact, his win against Lane was a bit of a redemption win for the New Zealand fighter as his prior bout against him was ruled a no-contest due to an accidental eye poke he sustained. He is currently riding a three-fight winning streak (with the no-contest mixed in), with all three of these bouts ending in a first-round knockout
Fighter Spotlight: Karl Williams
Another fighter with an impressive record, Williams enters this fight with a weight disadvantage to his opponent (265 to 239) but is three inches taller with a longer reach. The American has an overall record of 9-1 in MMA bouts and is undefeated since he made his UFC debut back in 2022. This will be his biggest test yet though as Tafa is a tough fighter with documented sensational knockout power.
Prediction: This Is going to be an awesome matchup with some fantastic knockout potential. In that case, take Williams to score a crucial victory against Tafa.
Karl WilliamsTo win vs. Justin Tafa
-214
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Even more notes and info for your UFC Vegas 89 bets
After you are all dialed in regarding the latest news and information coming from the world of the UFC, make sure to check out the great variety of resources for you over at SBS. Of course, for even more helpful information regarding your UFC Vegas 89 bets and beyond, check out the UFC betting sites guide which goes over a variety of helpful info like the latest UFC betting lines. Moreover, for those looking to maximize their wagers and have the best UFC Vegas 89 bets, look no further than the best bonus betting sites rundown which contains a lot of helpful info. This includes things like a catalog of the latest and greatest welcome bonus offers. Finally, once you are all dialed in regarding your UFC Vegas 89 picks, make sure to also tap into the VIP sports betting sites breakdown which gives you some heightened options.
About the Author
Chris Boline
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football in the Mountain West Conference, and basketball.
Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones.
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