Mackenzie Dern is grateful for the hard lessons she has learned on her journey toward UFC gold.
Dern (15-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) will have the opportunity to challenge for the vacant UFC strawweight title this weekend when she faces Virna Jandiroba (22-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) in the co-main event at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi.
Having transitioned to mixed martial arts after winning multiple world titles in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the 32-year-old has had to learn a great deal on the job.
She earned a decision win over Jandiroba in 2020 and has continued to trade wins and losses throughout her run inside the Octagon. Dern believes that the adversity she has faced will serve her well this weekend.
“If I cannot go through broken noses and the losses, of course lots of times you think, ‘Man, maybe I shouldn’t do this. I should go back to jiu-jitsu,'” Dern told reporters at Wednesday’s UFC 321 media day. “I was like winning everything. I humbled myself to start something new and become a white belt and just like learn and go through, especially on a bigger platform with all these critics.
“The UFC fans, they love you and hate you, then they love you again. It’s a rollercoaster ride. So, I can’t say I wish I didn’t have an undefeated career like Ronda Rousey. That would be amazing, but I’m proud of my journey, and I think that’s what’s going to help me be a great champion, is the adversity I went through.”
Dern is the daughter of Wellington “Megaton” Dias, a legend in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and holds the record for the most submission wins (5) in UFC strawweight history. She has compared her rise to that of another fighter renowned for his grappling skills—former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira.
“I think everyone has different styles, so I see myself similar to Charles ‘Do Bronx,’ who everyone saw that he had so much potential,” she said. “He was up and down, and he’s been at it for a while, and he has all these submissions, but when they’re a champion, they have a lot of light in them. They don’t just retire after, so I think I’ll be more prepared for what comes at me, winning this title, whoever comes next, what are the next obstacles because of everything I went through. Maybe Tatiana Suarez, who was undefeated and when she did fight for the belt, it was a big difference in the levels and everything like that. I’m really proud to potentially become a champion who can do a little bit of everything. That was my goal.”
