Mackenzie Dern left all of it within the octagon at UFC 321, however she nonetheless wasn’t certain if it could be sufficient.
After 25 minutes of back-and-forth motion with Virna Jandiroba, Dern emerged victorious through a unanimous determination and was introduced as the brand new UFC strawweight champion, claiming the title vacated by Zhang Weili. One decide had it 49-46 in Dern’s favor, with the opposite two scoring it a lot nearer at 48-47.
Dern is greater than happy together with her efficiency, however acknowledged she missed out on placing an exclamation level on the win.
“No,” Dern stated on the night’s post-fight press convention when requested if she was sure she’d received the struggle. “Not that I wasn’t assured, I felt like I did all the things I may do with the struggle but it surely’s the judges. I felt like I may win, I felt just like the struggle could possibly be mine, however I needed to get a knockout and I needed to be a champion with a submission or a knockout so nobody may say something.
“With MMA and the critics and the followers, it’s all the time going to be like that. Should you go away it for the judges’ determination, it may go both approach, you by no means know.”
Dern and Jandiroba are considered two of the perfect grapplers in all of MMA. When Dern transitioned to the enterprise in 2016, she did so with a laundry record of accomplishments in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, together with gold medals on the world-renowned ADCC and IBJJF competitions.
Nevertheless, very similar to of their first struggle in December 2020 (which Dern additionally received), the vast majority of Saturday’s co-main occasion was comprised of a putting duel. Jandiroba was the extra aggressive wrestler and put Dern on her again a number of occasions, however when the judges appraised the injury carried out on the toes, it was Dern who got here out forward.
“I really feel a bit sore, however I really feel wonderful. I feel we let all of it on the market, we actually gave all our greatest to try to get the struggle,” Dern stated. “However yeah, it’s like a dream come true, however I don’t know, each time I attain a aim, I all the time make a brand new one. So, I’m already interested by getting again within the fitness center, getting higher, and I do know I’ve an enormous goal on my again now, so I need to be sure I’m prepared for what’s coming subsequent.”
One identify aiming for that focus on could possibly be Tatiana Suarez. This previous June, Suarez had her likelihood to develop into champion when she confronted Zhang Weili at UFC 312, however misplaced a lopsided determination. Suarez rebounded with a win over Amanda Lemos in September and with Zhang out of the image—the Chinese language star vacated her title to problem flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 322 on Nov. 15—one other championship alternative could possibly be arrange for Suarez before anticipated.
Dern is leaving it within the palms of the matchmakers to seek out her first challenger.
“I don’t know the way a lot say I’ve in being a champion now, what I imply?” Dern stated. “I don’t know a lot my phrase and my selections get into play, however I’m right here to defend it, so whoever will get despatched to me, I’ll be prepared for it. I don’t know, Weili, however I’d positively like to only struggle Tatiana. I feel perhaps she will get yet another struggle in, however I need to have a pair extra fights with some grapplers.”
