Because of her decorated pedigree as a Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion, Mackenzie Dern has faced UFC title expectations ever since her 2018 promotional debut.
Dern seemingly was on the doorstep this year, entering the top five of the official UFC strawweight rankings on the strength of a four-fight winning streak. Had she defeated Marina Rodriguez in her first main event this past October, Dern believes she would’ve received a title shot.
Things didn’t work out that way, though, with Rodriguez putting on a striking clinic to win a five-round unanimous decision by three scores of 49-46. And the way Dern sees it, the result might’ve been a blessing in disguise.
“I think if I would’ve won this fight with Marina, I think they would’ve thrown me in to fight for the title,” Dern told MMA Junkie Radio. “I think it was really important this loss, because I don’t think I was ready. At the time, I thought I was ready. But once I realized I lost, it’s OK. This loss was at a good moment. Maybe I would’ve gone to the title and got my butt kicked.
“I definitely think everything is at the right timing. Honestly, now I think whoever is in the top five, I think I can beat any of them. Obviously I can’t make mistakes or things like that, but I think Mackenzie focused, training can beat any of the girls no matter what, no matter who’s got the belt. So, we’ll be prepared.”
If there’s one thing that disappointed Dern (11-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) most about the loss to Rodriguez, it’s that she didn’t get to show the strides she’s made in her striking under the tutelage of boxing coach Jason Parillo.
“Parillo is just helping me so much,” Dern said. “I think that’s the thing that me and my team were so frustrated about – not even the loss, just how much I’m getting better in the gym. I wasn’t able to show how much I’d gotten better in my fight with Marina. I wasn’t pushing forward as much as usually I push forward.”
Now Dern is itching to get back in the cage for her next fight. But first, she’ll have to test her knee after recently undergoing surgery, which she described as “pretty simple.” Dern said she’d have been “really handicapped” if she tried to continue fighting without surgery.
If all goes well, Dern said her next fight will happen in March but no later than the UFC’s planned return to Rio de Janeiro on May 7. The focus between now and then simply will be on continuing to evolve as a mixed martial artist.
“We always need to learn, winning or losing. Even on my wins, we’ve always gone back to the drawing board and tried to get better at different things,” Dern said. “We weren’t happy that I lost, but we weren’t so heartbroken. As soon as the fight finished, I knew like 10 things I needed to get better. The next day was back in the gym like talking to my coach, brainstorming, what do we need to work on – this, this and that. The next time, if I fight Marina rematch or whoever else, they’re gonna see a way more all-around fighter. For sure, (the loss) was one of the best things that happened to me just to give me a better vision of how I can get better.”
Mackenzie Dern explains why loss to Marina Rodriguez ‘was really important’ for UFC title hopes
