Mackenzie Lynne Dern Santos, born on March 24, 1993, is a Brazilian-American professional mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. She hails from Arizona and is the daughter of Wellington "Megaton" Dias, a renowned grappling competitor. Growing up, Mackenzie split her time between Arizona and Brazil, becoming fluent in both English and Portuguese. Her primary language has now become Portuguese due to her family and professional connections. She began her training at the age of three and competed in adult divisions by the age of 14.
Mackenzie's remarkable journey through Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu led her to win world championships at every belt level, ultimately earning a black belt from her father in December 2012. She's also the only female Jiu-Jitsu competitor to secure first-place finishes at the five highest-ranking IBJJF Gi Championships, including victories against much larger opponents like Gabi Garcia. As of today, she holds the #6 spot in the UFC women's strawweight rankings.
Mackenzie Dern's height
Mackenzie Dern is 5 feet 4 inches (1.63 m) tall. This puts her in the average height range for a UFC strawweight fighter. As for her weight, Mackenzie Dern weighs around 115 lbs (52 kg), the upper limit for the strawweight division.
Mackenzie Dern's career in the UFC
Mackenzie Dern, the Brazilian-American MMA fighter, made her UFC debut on March 3, 2018, defeating Ashley Yoder via split decision. In her subsequent fights, she faced challenges like missing weight limits but secured victories through submissions or decisions. After a break due to her pregnancy and childbirth, she returned to the octagon, achieving consecutive wins, including her historic victory as the first woman to win a UFC fight via leg lock.
Dern's career has seen ups and downs, marked by wins and losses. Notably, she won the Fight of the Night award in a match she lost. Dern's personal life includes her marriage to professional surfer Wesley Santos, which ended in 2022 amid allegations of physical abuse. She took a break from MMA due to pregnancy and later resumed her career. She also left Black House MMA after a dispute involving her coach and husband. Dern faced Jessica Andrade at UFC 295 on November 11, 2023, and lost by a second-round TKO. She is scheduled to take on Amanda Ribas in her upcoming fight at UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Ribas on January 11, 2025. She currently holds a record of 14 wins and 5 losses (14-5-0).
Also Read: Who has Mackenzie Dern lost to?
FAQs on Mackenzie Dern
A. Dern fights in the women’s strawweight division of the UFC.
A. Dern holds a professional MMA record of 14 wins and 5 losses (14-5-0).
A. Mackenzie Dern's father is a BJJ practitioner named Wellington 'Megaton' Dias. Dias was born on February 19, 1969, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
A. Mackenzie Dern's next fight is against Amanda Ribas.
