Mackenzie Dern put on a dominant performance against Angela Hill at UFC Vegas 73, winning via unanimous decision. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt showcased her grappling skills, taking Hill down multiple times and controlling the fight on the ground.
Dern looked like a fighter that was possessed as she came in there with a ton of urgency and willingness to just take the fight to Hill. That was something Hill wasn't ready to deal with With this win, Dern improved her record to 13-3 and solidified her position as one of the top straweights in the UFC.
Mackenzie Dern is on FIRE 🔥 #UFCVegas73 pic.twitter.com/w6HmFygXPD
— UFC (@ufc) May 21, 2023
So, what's next for Mackenzie Dern? Here are three potential opponents for her next fight:
Mackenzie Dern vs. Rose Namajunas
Mackenzie Dern has already called out former UFC strawweight champion Rose Namajunas after her win over Angela Hill at UFC Vegas 73. Namajunas is widely considered to be one of the best female mixed martial artists and has defeated some of the top fighters in the division.
Namajunas has taken some time off since her split-decision loss to Carla Esparza and has been competing in grappling tournaments. It looks like she is trying to improve in what she believes is her biggest weakness. This fight between Dern and Namajunas would be a great opportunity for Dern to prove herself against a former champion and add a big name to her resume.
Mackenzie Dern vs. Carla Esparza
Carla Esparza is the former two-time UFC women's straweight champion and is currently ranked No. 1 in the division. She is coming off losing her title to the now-champion Zhang Weili. Esparza is known for her wrestling skills and would provide a tough test for Dern on the ground. This fight would be a great opportunity for Dern to prove that she can handle high-level wrestlers in the division.
Esparza has fought high-level BJJ black belts in the past so this wouldn't be a walk in the park for someone like Dern who isn't as dominant off her back as she is on top. Nonetheless, this would be a good test to fight someone who is a former champion and up in the rankings.
Mackenzie Dern vs. Jessica Andrade
Jessica Andrade made the drop back down to straweight after losing her last flyweight bout to the surging Erin Blanchfield. Her return to the straweight division didn't go as planned as she was knocked out by Yan Xiaonan in the first round. With that said, a fight with Mackenzie Dern may be the right move for her at this stage of her career. Andrade gets to prove that she's still one of the best in the division meanwhile, Dern would get the biggest win on her resume.
This would be the first legit knockout artist that Dern would face in her time in the UFC. Not many possess the one-punch knockout power that Andrade does which would make this a dangerous proposition for Dern but one she can certainly can get through with the right preparation.
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