Mackenzie Dern has a UFC title now and there’s no query about that.
How a lot this specific gold belt means, nevertheless, is actually up for debate.
Let’s write it out yet one more time, simply because it’s nonetheless fairly loopy to see it: Mackenzie Dern is A UFC CHAMPION. It doesn’t matter the way you slice it, it’s within the report books. And that’s superior for her.
However she’s indisputably not the most effective strawweight on the earth. That standing belongs to Zhang Weili, who cleared out all her present contenders (with respect to Dern and Virna Jandiroba) and deservedly earned herself a shot at flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 322 on Nov. 15. Ought to Zhang lose to Shevchenko, return to strawweight, and get a shot at Dern, she’d be no decrease than an 8-to-1 favourite. That’s a conservative estimate.
All of that’s to say discovering Dern’s place on the Pound-for-Pound record is difficult. On the one hand, she beat Jandiroba truthful and sq. and now holds a UFC title, extensively thought to be essentially the most prestigious trophy you’ll be able to maintain in MMA; however, Dern wasn’t precisely on a tear earlier than she earned her title shot. She has decisive losses to Amanda Lemos, Jessica Andrade, and Yan Xiaonan, all bouts that occurred prior to now three years. Not precisely historical historical past.
For essentially the most half, our panel has determined to offer her the good thing about the doubt and vault her over Yan and everyone else, sending her all the best way from unranked to No. 6 on the record. It’s an unprecedented debut, although contemplating how far Dern was from a title shot at one level, oddly becoming one.
Take a look at the post-UFC 321 Ladies’s Pound-for-Pound Rankings under and tell us within the feedback the place you suppose Dern belongs on the record.
Latest outcomes for ranked fighters (earlier rating proven): No. 6 Manon Fiorot def. No. 19 Jasmine Jasudavicius, Mackenzie Dern def. No. 11 Virna Jandiroba, No. 12 Tatiana Suarez def. Amanda Lemos
Upcoming bouts that includes ranked fighters: No. 1 Zhang Weili vs. No. 2 Valentina Shevchenko (UFC 322, Nov. 15), No. 4 Cris Cyborg vs. Sara Collins (PFL Europe, Dec. 13), No. 9 Erin Blanchfield vs. Tracy Cortez (UFC 322, Nov. 15), No. 15 Seika Izawa vs. Saori Oshima (RIZIN LANDMARK 12, Nov. 3)
Fighters additionally receiving votes (variety of poll appearances proven): Norma Dumont (2), Taila Santos (2), Jessica Andrade (2), Maycee Barber (1), Amanda Lemos (1)
A refresher on the bottom guidelines:
Ideas? Questions? Considerations? Make your voice heard within the feedback under.
