Fatima Kline has her new assignment locked in, as she’s set to face Tabatha Ricci at UFC Fight Night 281 on Saturday at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla.
Kline enters the strawweight bout with a 9-1 professional record and a 3-1 mark in the UFC, while Ricci brings a 12-4 overall slate and an 8-4 UFC record into the matchup. Kline was originally scheduled to fight Amanda Ribas, who withdrew due to injury.
"Tabatha has been on my radar for the past year," Kline said ahead of the fight. "She's just somebody who I've been wanting to fight, somebody I've kept an eye out for. The bigger the fights get, the better I get. So, I'm really excited for Saturday."
Kline, who made her UFC debut two years ago, has clear ambitions for the division. "I think that puts me right in line to start attacking the top-five spot," she said, adding, "I'm looking for top-five by the end of this year. I don't want to wait until next year to crack into the top-five spot. I'm ready to make my name known this year. ... I've never said no to the UFC. They know I've never backed down from any fight. I've said yes to every opponent they offered me after Amanda. Now, it's Tabatha, and I'll be ready for whoever they have next to me after that."
