Ribovics was a year behind Zellhuber on the Contender Series, but has otherwise followed a similar trajectory — impressing and earning a contract before dropping his debut and turning things around. Last time out, the Argentinian lightweight landed a precise high kick on Terrance McKinney that put him out just 37 seconds into their fight, giving Ribovics a second straight victory.
This feels like the right time for this type of matchup for Zellhuber — a date with another dangerous and promising young fighter looking to work forward in the lightweight ranks, where a victory would surely bump him forward a step or two in the division, and a loss wouldn’t cost him much ground.
As with every developing fighter, the key to watch for this weekend are the improvements and advancements Zellhuber has made since his win over Prado in February. The physical tools are there, plus he works with an outstanding team that will always put him in the best position to be successful, but it all comes down to how well Zellhuber can build on his solid fundamentals and translate promise into positive results inside the Octagon.
Manuel Torres
Zellhuber isn’t the only intriguing lightweight DWCS grad slated to make the walk on Saturday night, as Torres enters with a little more buzz behind him after posting three straight stoppage wins to begin his UFC tenure.