Overview

• Tabatha Ricci landed a second-round elbow at UFC Abu Dhabi on July 26 that dislodged the titanium plate stabilizing Ribas’s eye socket and resulted in a knockout defeat.
• Ribas had the plate implanted after a 2023 orbital fracture and endured undiagnosed fainting, seizures and headaches through multiple fights until the implant issue became apparent.
• Event medical staff deferred Ribas’s procedure, and she is now undergoing examinations at Albert Einstein Hospital in São Paulo under Dr. Sergio Miranda.
• Ribas is pain-free and fully focused on her recovery, with no return-to-training timeline established.
• Ricci’s victory vaulted her to No. 7 in the UFC strawweight rankings and has set her sights on securing her next opponent.