Mackenzie Dern, Nina Ansaroff agree to UFC fight on April 10

Nina Ansaroff’s return to the UFC isn’t too far off, and she’ll immediately face a ranked opponent after a long layoff.

On Monday, two people with knowledge of the situation informed MMA Junkie that Ansaroff and Mackenzie Dern have verbally agreed to an April 10 fight after UFC broadcast partner ESPN reported that “both sides like it.” The two people requested anonymity because the UFC has yet to make an announcement regarding the fight or the event.

Ansaroff (10-6 MMA, 4-3 UFC), No. 7 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie strawweight rankings, will be fighting for the first time since giving birth to her first baby in September with wife and UFC dual champion Amanda Nunes. Prior to her pregnancy, Ansaroff’s last fight was on June 8, 2019 at UFC 238, where she lost a unanimous decision to Tatiana Suarez. That snapped a four-fight winning streak for Ansaroff.

No. 11 Dern (10-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC), meanwhile, has been on a roll since losing the first fight of her career. Dern, who lost a unanimous decision to Amanda Ribas in October 2019, has rebounded with three consecutive wins in 2020. She most recently defeated former Invicta FC champion Virna Jandiroba by unanimous decision earlier this month at UFC 259.

According to ESPN, Dern will have a minor surgical procedure to fix a broken nose suffered in the Jandiroba fight but is expected to be ready on time to fight Ansaroff in April.