Formerly ranked #1 in the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF), Mackenzie Dern is a professional mixed martial artist (MMA) today. She is a world champion in Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) and no-gi BJJ (black belt). As of November 2023, she has the sixth position in the UFC women's strawweight rankings.
At UFC 222 on March 3, 2018, Dern faced Ashley Yoder in her promotional debut and won via split decision. Amanda Cooper and Dern faced off at UFC 224 on May 12, 2018. At the weigh-ins, Dern's weight of 123 pounds was 7 pounds more than the maximum weight of 116 pounds for non-title strawweight events. As a result, the bout continued at catchweight, and Dern lost 30% of her purse. Dern submitted with a rear-naked choke to win.
Dern was scheduled to face Angela Hill at the UFC on ABC 4 on May 13, 2023. Rather, the bout was rescheduled and pushed back one week to UFC Fight Night 223. She won via a unanimous decision. At UFC 295 on November 11, 2023, Dern will fight Jessica Andrade, the former strawweight champion of the UFC.
Who is Mackenzie Dern’s husband?
Mackenzie Dern is currently divorced and single. Just before her bout against Angela Hill at UFC Fight Night 223, UFC strawweight contender Mackenzie Dern was involved in a complex court struggle that included an array of accusations, abuse claims, and a highly publicized divorce with her ex-husband, Wesley Santos.
Professional surfer Wesley Santos began his surfing career in 2011. His participation in the SLO CAL Open in Pismo Beach, the Surfest Beach Newcastle Pro, and the prestigious Vissla Central Pro are just a few of his noteworthy events. However, not a lot of information is available about Santos.
Mackenzie Dern’s Legal Battle
Dern disclosed the agonizing circumstances, accusing Santos of physical abuse and emphasizing her incapacity to stand up for herself out of concern for potential legal fallout and maybe losing custody of her daughter, Moa. Mackenzie Dern was honest about her attempts to keep the family together in an interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, but she also described how things got out of hand and the cops had to step in. No parent would want their daughter to grow up in such a turbulent atmosphere that their daughter has been exposed to.
Dern stated: “I stayed in my relationship because I believed in the family, and I believe that that’s what God wanted and stuff. But there’s a certain point where you try, try, and try, and things don’t change, and it just keeps getting worse and worse. And then, like I was saying, I wasn’t even able to defend myself. Like, police were getting called to the house. It was just getting out of control and going through that in front of your daughter; you don’t want your daughter to witness that.”
Wesley Santos responded to Mackenzie Dern's charges of abuse by strongly refuting the claims in a statement and expressing his displeasure with Dern's choice to talk about their ongoing divorce in public. "Mackenzie's statements are false and defamatory," he declared, emphasizing his resolve to address the issue only when the legal proceedings have concluded. Numerous allegations from both parties were made public during the divorce process, including ones about financial irregularities, emotional and physical abuse, and custody conflicts.
Dern said that Santos had denied her access to her Brazilian bank account and had abused her two pets. She also accused Santos of using her credit card fraudulently and of having had a shared apartment contract renewed. Santos, on the other hand, asserted that Dern had physically abused him, and he had pictures of the alleged bloodied nose she had given him during a fight in a restaurant parking lot. In addition, he charged Dern with abusing their daughter—a claim she refuted.
Legal Conclusion
The verdict rendered by the court was not entirely definitive, as neither Dern nor Santos found their respective accusations to be fully supported. Dern was designated as the family's primary breadwinner and was given joint custody of their daughter Moa by the court. Consequently, the judge mandated that Dern reimburse Santos $10,000 for his legal expenses and an extra $4,006 a month for child and spousal support.
FAQs
A. Mackenzie Dern is currently divorced and single.
A. The divorce involved accusations of abuse, financial irregularities, and custody conflicts between Mackenzie Dern and Wesley Santos.
A. Wesley Santos strongly refuted Mackenzie Dern's claims and preferred to address the issues in court after the legal proceedings.
A. As the family's primary provider, Mackenzie Dern was granted joint custody of their daughter and was obligated to pay Wesley Santos.
A. Mackenzie Dern will fight Jessica Andrade at UFC 295 on November 11, 2023.
A. Wesley Santos is the father of Mackenzie Dern’s daughter, Moa.
