Tabatha Ricci, head-and-shoulders portrait
Baby Shark

Tabatha Ricci

Women's Strawweight
Paragon BJJ / Knuckleheadz Boxing
Baby Shark
Record Record: 12-5-0
Wins
12
Losses
5
Draws
0
2KO/TKO
3Sub
7Dec
View full record ↓

Vitals

Height, reach, and career background.

Age31
Height1.55 m
Reach155 cm
NationalityBrazil
TeamParagon BJJ / Knuckleheadz Boxing
Weight classWomen's Strawweight
Active2013-present

Record

Tap any fight for the breakdown.

LossDEC
Opponent: Fatima KlineUnanimousR3 5:00
UFC Fight Night - Du Plessis vs. Usman
18 Jul 2026

Ricci was out-worked in every phase by Fatima Kline, who beat her to the strikes and mixed in takedowns whenever the fight settled. Ricci stayed tough for the full fifteen minutes but could not get her own grappling going, and lost a shutout decision at 30-27 across the board.

Key moments

  • Was out-struck across all three rounds.
  • Kline's timed takedowns broke up each of her attempts to build rhythm.
  • Never got her own grappling established against Kline's takedown defence.
LossDEC
Opponent: Virna JandirobaUnanimousR3 5:00
UFC Fight Night 273 - Moicano vs. Duncan
4 Apr 2026

Ricci dropped a unanimous decision to Virna Jandiroba in her most recent fight and spent too much of the bout reacting to another elite grappler's pace. It was a meaningful setback because a win there would have pushed her deeper into the divisional short list.

Key moments

  • Lost a unanimous decision after three rounds.
  • Came up short against another high-level Brazilian strawweight grappler.
  • The result followed the statement stoppage of Amanda Ribas from the previous summer.
WinTKO
Opponent: Amanda RibasElbow and PunchesR2 2:59
UFC on ABC 9 - Whittaker vs. de Ridder
26 Jul 2025

The finish mattered because Ribas is durable, proven and difficult to overwhelm once the fight settles into longer exchanges.

Key moments

  • Stopped Ribas by second-round TKO at 2:59.
  • The finish came off elbows and punches rather than a pure grappling sequence.
  • Answered the Yan Xiaonan loss with a much bigger statement than a routine decision win.
LossDEC
Opponent: Yan XiaonanUnanimousR3 5:00
UFC Fight Night 265 - Yan vs. Figueiredo
23 Nov 2024
WinDEC
Opponent: Angela HillUnanimousR3 5:00
UFC on ESPN 62 - Cannonier vs. Borralho
24 Aug 2024

Ricci handled Angela Hill over three rounds and banked another veteran win in a division full of dangerous gatekeepers. Beating Hill mattered because Hill's pace and experience usually force opponents to show they can win disciplined minutes without drifting.

Key moments

  • Won a unanimous decision after three rounds.
  • Beat another longtime UFC veteran in a matchup built on pace and scrambles.
  • Built directly on the split-decision win over Tecia Pennington.
WinDEC
Opponent: Tecia PenningtonSplitR3 5:00
UFC on ESPN 56 - Lewis vs. Nascimento
11 May 2024

Ricci edged Tecia Pennington by split decision in St. Louis and found a way through one of the division's craftier veteran style tests.

Key moments

  • Won a split decision after three rounds.
  • Beat a strawweight veteran known for forcing close technical fights.
  • Bounced back cleanly from the Loopy Godinez split-decision loss.
LossDEC
Opponent: Loopy GodinezSplitR3 5:00
UFC 295 - Prochazka vs. Pereira
11 Nov 2023
WinDEC
Opponent: Gillian RobertsonUnanimousR3 5:00
UFC on ABC 5 - Emmett vs. Topuria
24 Jun 2023
WinSUB
Opponent: Jessica PenneArmbarR2 2:14
UFC 285 - Jones vs. Gane
4 Mar 2023

The bout mattered because Penne was the more established name, and Ricci did more than just outpoint her.

Key moments

  • Submitted Penne with an armbar at 2:14 of round two.
  • The finish pushed Ricci to three straight UFC wins.
  • It gave Ricci a statement result over a former UFC title challenger.
WinDEC
Opponent: Polyana VianaUnanimousR3 5:00
UFC Fight Night 206 - Holm vs. Vieira
21 May 2022
WinDEC
Opponent: Maria OliveiraUnanimousR3 5:00
UFC Fight Night 196 - Costa vs. Vettori
23 Oct 2021
LossTKO
Opponent: Manon FiorotPunchesR2 3:00
UFC Fight Night 189 - Rozenstruik vs. Sakai
5 Jun 2021

Ricci's UFC debut came on short notice and up at flyweight, and Fiorot's physical edge eventually told in the second round. Ricci was game, but the matchup was a hard introduction given the weight-class jump and the amount of time she had to prepare.

Key moments

  • Lost by standing TKO at exactly 3:00 of round two.
  • Stepped in on four days' notice to replace Maryna Moroz.
  • Made her UFC debut one division above her preferred strawweight class.
WinTKO
Opponent: Shawna OrmsbyPunchesR2 4:50
LFA 105
23 Apr 2021
WinSUB
Opponent: Vanessa Marie GrimesArmbarR1 1:07
LFA 98
29 Jan 2021
WinDEC
Opponent: Kelsey ArnesenUnanimousR3 5:00
LFA 90
4 Sep 2020
WinDEC
Opponent: Graziele RicottaUnanimousR3 5:00
Brazilian FC 4
4 Oct 2014

It was an early sign that her game was not limited to quick submissions and that she could handle full-fight pacing when needed.

Key moments

  • Won a unanimous decision after three rounds.
  • The bout took place at Brazilian FC 4 in Ribeirao Preto, Brazil.
  • It gave Ricci her second professional win in her first year as a pro.
WinSUB
Opponent: Danielle CunhaArmbarR1 2:30
Fight Masters Combat 1
7 Dec 2013

Ricci's professional debut ended with an armbar win over Danielle Cunha in Sao Paulo.

Key moments

  • Won her pro debut by armbar at 2:30 of round one.
  • The fight was contested at strawweight in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
  • It was the first of Ricci's three professional armbar victories.

The Read

Style, strengths, and defining traits.

Ricci's game still starts with the judo and grappling pressure, but the more important change is how much more comfortable she looks forcing opponents to work before the tie-ups arrive. The boxing has become steadier enough that the clinch entries and top control do not need to appear instantly for her to keep rounds competitive.

That matters because her recent schedule has been full of proven strawweights. Wins over Hill, Pennington and Ribas kept her in the tougher half of the division, while the losses to Yan Xiaonan and Virna Jandiroba showed the gap that still exists when the opponent can win the range battle without giving away the grappling.

Signature Fights

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