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Mackenzie Dern is right back on track after getting a huge decision win over Tecia Torres at UFC 273. The win has now put her firmly at the top of the strawweight division and another win could see her fight for the title.
There was a big difference with Mackenzie Dern at UFC 273 compared to when she fought against Marina Rodriguez. The Brazilian-American admits she needed to be in a better place mentally to fight Tecia Torres.
“With my fight with Marina (Rodriguez) I was second-guessing a lot of things, even my submissions. With Tecia I wasn’t,” Dern told reporters including MMA Junkie at a post-fight news conference Saturday. “I never pulled guard before in a fight, this was the first time.
“It was a risk I decided to make, but I thought the kimura was there, but yeah she’s physically fit and especially if you’re submission defense isn’t on point – the muscles around our joints, it’s good to be strong to protect your joints so I knew those armbars, foot locks and stuff like that will be harder with her.”
Mackenzie Dern is known for her Brazilain jiu-jitsu and she has made it no secret that she believes she has the best BJJ in not just her division, but in women's MMA. The UFC strawweight spoke about it after beating Tecia Torres.
“100 percent,” Dern said. “Title-wise I know everyone in the jiu-jitsu world. I came into the UFC with the whole jiu-jitsu community behind me so I know 100 percent from the jiu-jitsu world I’m the best in MMA that made the transition. Of course with punches and time limit in the cage that changes our jiu-jitsu a little bit.
“But when you think of possibilities and what I bring to the table about jiu-jitsu – there are submissions that I know for sure most of the girls have never even heard of. So definitely I think my fight just pulling guard was the first time I ever did that, I think that’s gonna make the girls think a little bit differently.”
