*Mackenzie Dern unloads ground and pound onto Xiaonan Yan. Credit: Ag. Fight.*

The UFC returns to the APEX in Las Vegas with its first Fight Night card of 2025. An excellent card throughout, there are plenty of outstanding matchups, rising prospects, and established names, all vying to earn another victory in the premier MMA promotion. In the co-main event, two well-rounded, dangerous veteran scrappers go toe-to-toe when Santiago Ponzinibbio takes on Carlston Harris. In the main event, a rematch of two top-tier Strawweights hits the Octagon when Mackenzie Dern faces off against Amanda Ribas. Let’s take a look at the fights on the main card.

Punahele Soriano vs. Uroš Medić

*Punahele Soriano cracks Duško Todorović with a right hand. Credit: Zuffa LLC.*

Welterweight Bout

Punahele Soriano: 10-4-0, 6 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Uroš Medić: 10-2-0, 8 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Soriano has won two of his last five fights and has UFC victories over Duško Todorović (12-5-0), Oskar Piechota (11-3-1), and Miguel Baeza (10-4-0). He has devastating power in his hands and can produce a flash knockout, with seven of his ten wins coming in the first round. He’s at his most dangerous inside the pocket, throwing massive hooks and letting his hands go. Soriano occasionally mixes in kicks when he leaves the pocket, mainly to the head or body. He’s constantly coming forward and pressuring his opponent, keeping them moving backward while he throws bombs. Training at Xtreme Couture, he loves to headhunt on the feet but has also shown some solid wrestling to complement his striking. Soriano started his career as a Heavyweight, spent his first 7 UFC fights at Middleweight, and possesses serious power now at 170 pounds.

*Uroš Medić stuns Omar Morales with a brutal right hook. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Medić has won three of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over Matthew Semelsberger (11-8-0), Omar Morales (11-4-0), and Tim Means (33-17-1). He’s a powerful kickboxer with great footwork and excellent kicks. He does an outstanding job varying his shots, attacking the head and body evenly while remaining technical. Medić throws everything with power but doesn’t telegraph; often, mixing kicks in at the end of combinations. Training at Kings MMA, he favors power to volume but has solid cardio and can push a consistent pace across fifteen minutes. He’s highly accurate, landing 60% of the significant strikes he’s attempted in the UFC and can produce a flash knockout at any time. He won’t typically initiate grappling exchanges but will not accept position on his back and will pursue submissions. Medić has only seen the third round once and has not been to a decision, with eight of his twelve fights ending in round one.

Christian Rodriguez vs. Austin Bashi

*Christian Rodriguez lands a stinging right hand on Raul Rosas Jr. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Featherweight Bout

Christian Rodriguez: 11-2-0, 3 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Austin Bashi: 13-0-0, 3 KO/TKO, 5 Sub.

Rodriguez has won four of his last five outings and has UFC victories over Raul Rosas Jr. (10-1-0), Isaac Dulgarian (7-1-0), and Cameron Saaiman (9-2-0). He’s a well-rounded scrapper with excellent counterstriking and a slick submission game. He’s constantly pressuring forward, looking to draw punches out of his opponent to land counterstrikes. Rodriguez always looks to close the distance, regularly throwing step-in elbows and knees. He’s averaging over one takedown landed and over one submission attempted per fifteen minutes and is a solid grappler. Training at Roufusport, he has excellent transitions and reversals on the ground, constantly placing himself in an advantageous position. Rodriguez has consistently been matched up with other top prospects, with three of his promotional victories coming over undefeated fighters.

*Austin Bashi stares down his opponent on Dana White’s Contender Series. Credit: Yahoo Sports.*

Bashi is undefeated and making his UFC debut. He’s an exceptionally well-rounded prospect, holding a black belt in BJJ and a background in wrestling and Muay Thai. He remains technical throughout, keeping his punches tight and straight while maintaining solid footwork and distance management. Bashi fights behind his jab and does an excellent job of mixing kicks into combinations without telegraphing. Training at Warrior Way Martial Arts, he has excellent takedowns, can land them in open space and along the fence, and is willing to work to get the fight to the mat. He’s extremely fluid on the ground, effortlessly transitioning between positions, and can find submissions with impressive speed. Bashi can produce impressive finishes but has solid cardio and will push a consistent pace from bell to bell.

Chris Curtis vs. Roman Kopylov

*Chris Curtis lands a punishing right hand on Kelvin Gastelum. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Middleweight Bout

Chris Curtis: 31-11-0, 17 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Roman Kopylov: 13-3-0, 11 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Curtis has won two of his last five fights with one no-contest and has UFC victories over #6 ranked Welterweight Joaquin Buckley (21-6-0), #9 ranked Middleweight Brendan Allen (24-6-0), and Rodolfo Vieira (10-2-0). He is a veteran of the sport, having started his pro career in 2009, and is an excellent technical boxer on the feet. He has one-shot knockout power in both hands and varies his strikes well, attacking the head and body evenly. Training at Xtreme Couture, Curtis is an excellent counter-striker and will often dip his head before returning fire with a barrage of hooks. He throws everything in combination and is at his best when he stays behind his jab and pressures forward, controlling the fight's pace. He’s shown great patience and doesn’t overexert himself on the feet, but he has a solid chin and is willing to eat a shot to land one. Curtis has shown excellent takedown defense and has denied 82% of takedowns attempted on him in the UFC, and he also possesses a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

*Roman Kopylov blasts Claudio Ribeiro with a lethal head kick. Credit: Yahoo Sports.*

Kopylov has won four of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over Alessio Di Chirico (13-7-0), Claudio Ribeiro (11-5-0), and César Almeida (6-1-0). He’s a sniper on the feet, using precision and power to dismantle his opponents. He won’t use a ton of footwork but is constantly feinting and drawing reactions out of his opponents, opening up opportunities to land strikes. Kopylov does an excellent job of varying his shots, attacking the head and body evely, and often mixing kicks into punch combinations. He never telegraphs shots or loads up but throws everything with devastating power and can produce flash knockouts anytime. Training with Raty Team, he’s unlikely to initiate grappling exchanges, but he has fantastic takedown defense and has defended 87% of takedowns attempted on him in the UFC. Kopylov is exceptionally explosive, often touching his opponent with single shots before unleashing huge combinations.

César Almeida vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan

*César Almeida fires a front kick at the head of Dylan Budka. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Middleweight Bout

César Almeida: 6-1-0, 4 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Abdul Razak Alhassan: 12-6-0, 12 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Almeida has won four of his last five outings and has UFC victories over Dylan Budka (7-4-0) and Ihor Potieria (20-7-0). A former professional kickboxer, he held a record of 47-8-2 with 27 wins by knockout. He’s an outstanding striker, remaining accurate and technical while throwing every shot purposefully. Almeida varies his shots well, attacking the head, legs, and body while mixing kicks into combinations without telegraphing. Training at Teixeira MMA, he carries his power throughout the fight and has excellent counterstriking and head movement. His best shot is his straight right, and he’s most comfortable controlling the center of the octagon and the pace of the fight. Almeida won’t usually initiate grappling exchanges but has shown continued improvement on the ground and will land brutal ground and pound if in top position.

*Abdul Razak Alhassan lands a devastating left hook on Niko Price. Credit: Esther Linn/MMA Fighting.*

Alhassan has won two of his last five fights with one no contest and has UFC victories over Niko Price (16-8-0), Alessio Di Chirico (13-7-0), and Claudio Ribeiro (11-5-0). He is an explosive, dangerous striker who prefers power to volume and is always coming forward. He constantly throws looping shots and hooks, often loading up and hunting for the one-shot knockout. Alhassan has a dangerous kicking game, usually throwing them without setup and with massive power. All his professional wins have come via finish, with eleven coming in round one. Training with Elevation Fight Team, he has a black belt in Judo, is very strong in the clinch, and can land throws and trips when in close. Alhassan averages just under one takedown landed per fifteen minutes but is usually comfortable keeping the fight standing.

Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Carlston Harris

*Santiago Ponzinibbio lands a lunging right hand on Miguel Baeza. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Welterweight Bout

Santiago Ponzinibbio: 30-8-0, 16 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Carlston Harris: 19-6-0, 5 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Ponzinibbio has won one of his last five bouts and has wins over Neil Magny (29-14-0), Miguel Baeza (10-4-0), and Alex Morono (24-11-0). Training at American Top Team, he is an impressive striker with serious power, using various unpredictable attacks to get the job done. He has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a solid submission game but is unlikely to take the fight to the mat. Ponzinibbio remains technical throughout the fight and is comfortable fighting at range and in the pocket. Averaging about 70 significant strikes landed per fight in his last five bouts, he has a great chin, solid cardio, and can push a consistent pace across 15 minutes. An established veteran, He has been a pro since 2008 and is comfortable in any position. Fifteen of Ponzinibbio’s 22 career finishes have come in the first round, so he’s very dangerous early on.

*Carlston Harris pops Christian Aguilera with a jab. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Harris has won three of his last five outings and has UFC victories over Impa Kasanganay (18-5-0), Jeremiah Wells (12-4-1), and Jared Gooden (23-10-0). He has serious power in his hands, utilizing an efficient kickboxing style with devastating kicks to match his punches. Along with his power, he’s exceptionally fast, both in his footwork and strikes, and always pursues a finish. Harris has a slick submission game to back up his striking and solid takedown defense. Training at Renovocao Fight Team, he loves anaconda and d’arce chokes, regularly sprawling on a takedown and locking in either choke. He can find a finish anywhere, often securing submissions via defensive grappling, rarely shooting for takedowns. Harris has only gone to a decision once in his last ten fights and fights with a “kill or be killed” attitude.

#6 Mackenzie Dern vs. #8 Amanda Ribas

*Mackenzie Dern attempts an armbar on Angela Hill. Credit: Zuffa LLC.*

Women’s Strawweight Bout

Mackenzie Dern: 14-5-0, 0 KO/TKO, 7 Sub.

Amanda Ribas: 13-5-0, 4 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Dern has won two of her last five fights and has UFC victories over #3 ranked Strawweight Virna Jandiroba (21-3-0), #11 ranked Strawweight Loopy Godínez (12-5-0), and #13 ranked Strawweight Angela Hill (17-14-0). Easily the most credentialed grappler in the Strawweight division, she’s won gold medals at the ADCC World Championship, World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, European Championship, and more. Training at RVCA, she’ll do whatever she can to get the fight to the mat, including pulling guard or jumping for submissions while standing. Dern has excellent top control, transitions quickly, and never puts herself in bad spots on the ground. She tends to headhunt on the feet, often blitzing forward to throw combinations. She’s willing to eat a shot to land one and has decent power in her hands, but she usually uses her striking to close the distance and set up a takedown. With six of her seven submission wins coming in round one, Dern is at her most dangerous early on.

*Amanda Ribas blasts Luana Pinheiro with a brutal spinning kick. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Ribas has won two of her last five bouts and has UFC victories over #3 ranked Strawweight Virna Jandiroba (21-3-0), #9 ranked Flyweight Viviane Araújo (13-6-0), and her current opponent, Mackenzie Dern. She is a technical Muay Thai striker who is constantly moving and fighting behind her jab. She has fast, accurate hands and excellent clinch striking, damaging her opponents with flurries of elbows and knees. Everything Ribas throws is straight and tight, never overextending or throwing looping shots. Training with the Ribas Family, she has excellent footwork and throws a solid variety of strikes to the head and body. She has black belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo and averages about two takedowns landed per fifteen minutes. Ribas is an excellent defensive grappler, successfully defending 85% of takedowns attempted on her in her UFC tenure.

Best Bets

Uroš Medić Moneyline: An intriguing matchup of two dangerous strikers, neither of whom likes to leave the fight up to the scorecards. In a combined 26 fights, they have produced 18 finishes, and Medić is yet to see a decision in his career, only reaching the third round once. While both are explosive and have impressive power, Medić is the more technical, well-rounded striker, using a variety of punches and kicks to get the job done. Soriano typically relies on his hands to finish the job, occasionally mixing in takedowns and ground and pound. Although he won’t usually take it to the mat, Medić has proven a capable grappler and won’t usually spend much time in bottom position before getting back to his feet. Although Soriano may have an edge in punching power, especially since he recently moved down in weight, Medić is the better all-around fighter. If he can take the early power shots from Soriano, I expect him to secure another victory this weekend.

César Almeida by KO/TKO: Another striker vs. striker matchup; this will be a meeting of two fighters with incredibly different styles. Alhassan favors power to volume, constantly unloading massive bombs and hunting for a highlight-reel knockout. Almeida is much more technical, utilizing clean counterstriking and technique to damage his opponents. Alhassan, on paper, has a significant grappling advantage, considering he’s a Judo black belt, but he rarely takes the fight to the mat and typically prefers to stand and throw. While Almeida may not have an extensive MMA career, he is a highly experienced kickboxer and will give problems to absolutely anyone on the feet. Unless Alhassan abandons his typical striking gameplan and forces a grappling match, he’s in for a long night against a taller, longer opponent. If Almeida can keep the fight standing, I expect him to catch Alhassan when he’s swinging wildly and earn another knockout win in the UFC.

Mackenzie Dern Moneyline: A rematch from 2019, these fighters faced each other early on in their UFC tenure and will now meet again in a main event. Their first meeting was Dern’s third UFC fight and Ribas’ second, with both firmly establishing themselves in the time since. Since their first meeting, it seems Dern has undergone the most evolution between them and, to some extent, out of necessity. Dern was a pure grappler at the start of her promotional tenure, not possessing much in terms of striking outside of natural power and a solid chin. Ribas proved Dern’s lack of experience in their first fight, where she repeatedly failed to take the fight to the mat and was badly outstruck on the feet. Now, six years later, Dern has significantly refined her striking while retaining her solid chin and grappling skills. Ribas' style has largely remained the same, utilizing her Muay Thai on the feet and occasionally resorting to Judo throws and trips to take the fight to the ground. I expect a much more competitive fight with exchanges on the feet and on the mat, but I don’t expect the same outcome. If Dern can overcome the early striking onslaught from Ribas, she should be able to slow down Ribas’ pace, bring it to the mat, control the fight, and get the win.

UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Ribas 2 Preview