Paige VanZant listed as massive underdog against Amanda Ribas

Fan favorite strawweight and flyweight fighter Paige VanZant has been listed as a huge betting underdog ahead of her fight with Amanda Ribas.

VanZant and Ribas will collide at UFC 251 on July 11 in Abu Dhabi—the setting of the UFC’s much-discussed Fight Island. The bout will be VanZant’s first since a January, 2019 submission win over Rachael Ostovich, as she’s been sidelined with a string of unfortunate arm injuries.

While VanZant will no doubt be thrilled to get back into the cage, the oddsmakers don’t seem to like her chances against Ribas, who is riding three-straight UFC wins over Emily Whitmire, Mackenzie Dern, and Randa Markos.

See the odds for the fight below (via BestFightOdds):

What do you guys think about the betting line?! (via @BestFightOdds)
• Ribas -850
• PVZ +575

Let me know in the comments. #UFC251 pic.twitter.com/Gs9dYp1RZb

— MaRCeL DoRFF 🇳🇱🇮🇩 (@BigMarcel24) June 29, 2020

Paige VanZant vs. Amanda Ribas odds

• Amanda Ribas: -850
• Paige VanZant: +575

Ahead of the fight, VanZant has been pegged as a sizeable +575 underdog, which means a $100 bet on her would win $575. Ribas, meanwhile, has been listed as a gargantuan -850 favorite, meaning you’d have to bet $850 on her to win $100.

While the oddsmakers don’t have a lot of faith in VanZant, she will certainly be hunting for a huge win. This fight will mark the final obligation on her current UFC contract, and she intends to test free agency thereafter.

“I have my heart set and nobody is going to change my mind that I’m fighting my contract out,” VanZant told ESPN recently. “I don’t know where my future lies – I truly don’t. I think that’s kind of an exciting thing in my life. I’ve been with the UFC for six years now, and through this time I’m still – which is crazy – on the same contract before I fought Rose (Namajunas) at 22 years old, and I’m 26 now.

“So somehow, through injury, being on ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ being on TV, work I’ve done throughout all of this, I’ve been on the exact same contract since I was 22. That’s the contract I signed since I was 22. But I just feel like a regular extension isn’t what I want. I want to prove my worth and my value and I want a brand new contract. I’m really excited to get the opportunity and really test the free agency because how do you know what your value is unless you can go test it among the other sharks?”

Do you think Paige VanZant can spring the upset against Amanda Ribas, or are the oddsmakers right to discount her?