Two of the most exciting grapplers in women’s strawweight history collide in the co-main event. Virna “Carcará” Jandiroba — 22-4, former Invicta champion, world-class BJJ black belt who challenged for the UFC title just five months ago — faces Tabatha “Baby Shark” Ricci, who has won the biggest fight of her career with a second-round TKO of Amanda Ribas in Abu Dhabi. Both are Brazilian. Both are submission artists. This fight will not be dull.
Fighter Breakdown
- 22-4 overall — BJJ world champion at black belt, Pan-American and South American champion; tied for the most submission attempts in UFC strawweight division history with 16
- Challenged Mackenzie Dern for the vacant UFC strawweight title at UFC 321 (October 2025) — lost by unanimous decision in five rounds but confirmed her place as the #3 ranked fighter
- Submitted Amanda Lemos by armbar in her first UFC main event — a Performance of the Night finish that showed her submission game at its absolute best
- 37 years old but still operating at the peak of her competitive grappling career — her BJJ development means age affects her less than strikers
- Concern: Lost the title fight to Dern five months ago — coming off a defeat and facing a younger, increasingly dangerous Ricci who just stopped Ribas emphatically.
- 12-3 overall — BJJ black belt, judo black belt, and Muay Thai practitioner; one of the most technically complete fighters in the women’s strawweight division
- Second-round TKO of Amanda Ribas at UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. de Ridder in Abu Dhabi (July 2025) — biggest win of her career with ground-and-pound finishing ability
- Decision win over Angela Hill in 2024 and Tecia Pennington — showing consistent output and composure over three rounds before the Ribas statement finish
- Based in California — trained across Japan, Brazil, and the US before settling into her current camp that has produced the most complete version of her game
- Concern: Jandiroba’s 16 UFC submission attempts and world-champion BJJ credentials represent the deepest grappling test Ricci has faced in her UFC career to date.
Head-to-Head Stats
| Category | Virna Jandiroba | Tabatha Ricci |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 22 – 4 | 12 – 3 |
| Age | 37 | ~30 |
| UFC Sub Attempts | 16 (tied most in division history) | Active grappler |
| Last fight | L — UFC title fight vs Dern (Oct 2025) | W — TKO2 of Amanda Ribas (July 2025) |
| BJJ credentials | World champion, black belt 2nd degree | Black belt, judo + BJJ background |
| UFC Ranking | #3 Women’s Strawweight | #7 Women’s Strawweight |
The Grappling Battle of the Card
This is the highest-quality grappling matchup on the entire UFC Fight Night 272 card — possibly more technically rich than the main event. Jandiroba’s 16 submission attempts across her UFC career represent the most aggressive submission hunting in the division’s history. Her armbar finish of Amanda Lemos demonstrated that her BJJ is not just theoretical — it produces real finishing sequences against genuine UFC opponents.
Ricci brings a different flavour to the grappling exchange. Her judo background creates takedown entries that Jandiroba’s BJJ-centric opponents have not typically had to deal with. The Ribas finish showed Ricci’s willingness to work ground-and-pound rather than purely submission hunt — a more complete ground game than Jandiroba might be expecting from the #7-ranked fighter.
Round-by-Round Edge
| Category | Edge | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Submission Depth | JANDIROBA | 16 UFC submission attempts, world champion BJJ — the deepest sub game in the division |
| Recent Form | RICCI | TKO win over Ribas vs. Jandiroba’s title loss — clear current momentum edge |
| Judo / Takedown Entries | RICCI | Judo black belt gives different entry angles that pure BJJ players rarely prepare for |
| Experience / Fight IQ | JANDIROBA | 26 professional fights, title challenger — depth of competitive experience unmatched |
| Ground and Pound | RICCI | Ribas stoppage was GnP-based — Jandiroba prefers clean submissions over strikes |
| Youth and Athleticism | RICCI | Approximately 7 years younger — physical peak advantage in a grinding five-round fight |
Jandiroba finds a submission finish in what will be the most technically impressive fight of the night. Her 16 UFC submission attempts and world-championship BJJ credentials represent a grappling quality ceiling that Ricci has not yet been tested against. Ricci’s Ribas win and judo entries will create genuine problems in the early rounds — but Jandiroba’s submission hunting patience and depth of ground game should eventually produce the finish. The five-round format gives her additional time to work through Ricci’s defenses. A close, competitive fight where the quality of Jandiroba’s BJJ proves to be the difference in the later rounds.
Confidence: 6.5 / 10UFC Fight Night 272 · April 4, 2026 · Meta APEX, Las Vegas · Co-Main on Paramount+. Odds for reference only — please gamble responsibly.
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