UFC on ESPN: Ribas vs. Namajunas

UFC on ESPN: Ribas vs. Namajunas
UFC on ESPN: Ribas vs. Namajunas
	The poster for UFC on ESPN: Ribas vs. Namajunas
Information
Promotion	Ultimate Fighting Championship
Date	March 23, 2024
Venue	UFC Apex
City	Enterprise, Nevada, United States
Attendance	Not announced
Event chronology

UFC on ESPN: Ribas vs. Namajunas (also known as UFC on ESPN 53 and UFC Vegas 89) was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on March 23, 2024, at UFC Apex in Enterprise, Nevada, United States.^[2]^[3]

Background

A women's flyweight bout between Amanda Ribas and former two-time UFC Women's Strawweight Champion Rose Namajunas headlined the event.^[4]

A heavyweight bout between Chris Barnett and The Ultimate Fighter: Team Peña vs. Team Nunes heavyweight winner Mohammed Usman was scheduled for this event.^[5] However, Barnett withdrew due to unknown reason and was replaced by Mick Parkin.^[6]

Edmen Shahbazyan and Duško Todorović were expected to meet in a middleweight bout at the event.^[6] However, Todorović pulled out due to a serious knee injury and was replaced by A.J. Dobson.^[7]^[8]

A women's strawweight bout between Shauna Bannon and Stephanie Luciano was expected to take place at this event.^[9] However, Bannon pulled out for unknown reasons and was replaced by Julia Polastri.^[10] In turn, the bout was cancelled when Luciano was forced to withdraw due to falling ill with dengue fever.^[11]

A heavyweight bout between Junior Tafa and Karl Williams was expected to take place at the event.^[12] However, Tafa stepped in on short notice as a replacement for his brother Justin Tafa against Marcos Rogério de Lima at UFC 298 and was eventually unable to compete at this event after losing via TKO.^[13] He was eventually replaced by Justin at this event.^[14]

A featherweight bout between Billy Quarantillo and Gabriel Miranda was expected to take place at the event.^[15] However, Miranda was replaced by Youssef Zalal for unknown reasons.^[16]

A bantamweight bout between Cody Gibson and Davey Grant was expected to take place at the event.^[17] However, Grant withdrew due to injury and was replaced by former LFA Bantamweight Champion Miles Johns.^[18]

Results

Main card (ESPN / ESPN+)
Weight class				Method	Round	Time	Notes
Women's Flyweight	Rose Namajunas	def.	Amanda Ribas	Decision (unanimous) (49–46, 49–46, 48–47)	5	5:00
Heavyweight	Karl Williams	def.	Justin Tafa	Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 29–28, 29–28)	3	5:00
Middleweight	Edmen Shahbazyan	def.	A.J. Dobson	KO (punches)	1	4:43
Bantamweight	Payton Talbott	def.	Cameron Saaiman	TKO (punches)	2	0:21
Featherweight	Youssef Zalal	def.	Billy Quarantillo	Submission (rear-naked choke)	2	1:50
Featherweight	Fernando Padilla	def.	Luis Pajuelo	Submission (brabo choke)	1	2:45
Preliminary card (ESPN+)
Lightweight	Trey Ogden	def.	Kurt Holobaugh	Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27)	3	5:00
Featherweight	Julian Erosa	def.	Ricardo Ramos	Submission (guillotine choke)	1	2:15
Bantamweight	Miles Johns	def.	Cody Gibson	Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27)	3	5:00
Featherweight	Jarno Errens	def.	Steven Nguyen	Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27)	3	5:00
Women's Bantamweight	Darya Zheleznyakova	def.	Montserrat Rendon	Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)	3	5:00
Flyweight	André Lima	def.	Igor Severino	DQ (biting)	2	2:52
Heavyweight	Mick Parkin	def.	Mohammed Usman	Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)	3	5:00

^[19]

Bonus awards

The following fighters received $50,000 bonuses.^[20]

Fight of the Night: Jarno Errens vs. Steven Nguyen
Performance of the Night: Payton Talbott and Fernando Padilla

Aftermath

After the first ever disqualification due to biting took place at this event, UFC CEO Dana White gave a Bite of the Night $50,000 bonus to André Lima whose bout ended prematurely as a result of being bit on the arm by opponent Igor Severino.^[21] Severino was subsequently released from his contract with the promotion.^[22] The Nevada Athletic Commission also announced that it would withhold Severino's purse and he is expected to receive a heavy fine and lengthy suspension when the NAC holds its monthly meeting in April.^[23]