These improvements will be tested against a streaking Barber who’s won four straight fights since losing to future champion Grasso in 2021. While both athletes have the ability to take the fight to the mat and grapple, it doesn’t sound like either has that in their plans.
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“If you’ve watched her fights, you would know that she likes to go [forward] and, at the same time, if you watch my fights, I love to go out and just swing and throw and give it everything I have,” Barber said.
And despite her charismatic personality, Ribas has full intentions on meeting Barber in the center of the Octagon with vicious intent and letting her hands do the talking.
“When you’re happy, you relax,” Ribas said. “So, when you’re relaxed, you can be a crazy fighter and my opponents don’t expect it and what I can do because I’m happy, so, I will trust in my jab, I will trust in my elbow, and the more malicious fighter is the happy one because I’m enjoying it.
“This fight will be a fight with fire inside the cage. Not just because I have fire in my eyes when I fight, but she does, too.”
