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LAS VEGAS – Mackenzie Dern has long been expected to accomplish great things in MMA, but on the eve of his first UFC main event, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace is thinking bigger.
Sure, a strawweight title shot may be in the not-so-distant future, but Dern thinks she might be able to do even more.
“When I say I focus, I really focus on everything,” Dern told MMA Junkie on Wednesday’s media day at UFC Apex. “I just changed manager, agency, so now I’m with Paradigm, and I’m definitely thinking long term, you know, which is totally different from where I was when I started in UFC – just sort of just take the hype and enjoy that fun time. Now I’m really thinking about, OK, maybe go up a weight class afterwards and be like a double weight champion, you know? Just constantly new goals, and yes that’s good.
Make no mistake, Dern is focused on his run to 115 pounds for now. Currently at No. 5 in the latest USA TODAY Sports / MMA Junkie strawweight charts, Dern is probably only a bout or two away from being able to fight for a title.
But with a four-game winning streak, three of which also saw her earn a ‘Performance of the Night’ bonus, Dern says she’s in no rush to get to the top, but rather thinks patience will end. by seeing it go up. in this location. Right now, it looks like Carla Esparza has the indoor track of a date with the winner of the UFC 268 clash between champion Rose Namajunas and former defending champion Zhang Weili, but Dern knows her name is not far behind.
First, Dern (11-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) must eliminate Marina Rodriguez (14-1-2 MMA, 4-1-2 UFC) in the headlining fight of UFC Fight Night. Saturday’s 194, which takes place at UFC Apex and streams live on ESPN +.
As both fighters constantly strive to become more complete, this is clearly a battle of styles with Dern, a grappling magician, and Rodriguez, an accomplished Muay Thai stylist. While athletes will often downplay the simplicity of the striker’s description versus the grappler, Dern admits that’s correct in this contest.
“I think the start of my UFC career was when I got into these brawls with – you know we’re all unranked girls,” Dern said. “Now it’s like, ‘OK, now we can’t have any problems’, you know? You can’t make a mistake because the top five, the champion, make a mistake and it’s over.
“I really think there’s a bigger chance I could knock her out than she’s for submitting just because you just need to land one in the right spot to finish.” But I’m not going there to try to show that I can interact with a girl who has trained Muay Thai most of her life.
Should she prove victorious on Saturday, Dern thinks she would have a real record for a strawweight title shot, but she’s not going to force the issue either. As she starts to make her way in MMA, the multiple world grappling champion says she just wants to stay busy and keep racking up wins.
“I really think if I go there and do this amazing performance, maybe I can jump Carla and aim straight for the belt, but I’m in no rush,” said Dern. “If I win, but maybe I get hit a few times with things we could improve on, I don’t mind doing another fight instead.
“I don’t know who will win, Rose or Zhang Weili, when is the next time they want to fight. Maybe they just want to fight in June of next year. Hope they don’t get beaten up too much, you know? But who knows if they want to fight like in March. My momentum is so good right now. I’ve been in almost a little over a year in five fights so what’s good for me is to keep that momentum going. I don’t want to take too much free time.
Dern will continue her progression through the strawweight ranks for now, but if she reaches the level she thinks she can reach, she wonders why not try a little history as well and try to topple the dominant flyweight champion. . Valentina Shevchenko?
“I work with Rogerio Camoes – he makes me stronger, I just feel good,” Dern said. “I’ve fought at 125 before, but it wasn’t a very strong Mackenzie. I was a bit like a lazy Mackenzie, not very professional.
“Definitely just looking at Valentina, you know, she’s been on the belt for a long time. Girls try, we try, but I’m like, we need someone to fight her. Maybe a girl from jiu -jitsu is the one beating her. Who knows, you know? But sure, I can see myself getting to 125, but as a fit Mackenzie, you know? This idea is becoming more and more appealing to me, to come in and try to make history. ”
To see Dern’s full interview, watch the video above.
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