Mackenzie Dern has two-word reaction to Maycee Barber vs. Rose Namajunas being targeted for UFC Fight Night in July

Mackenzie Dern recently reacted to the news of a flyweight matchup between Maycee Barber and Rose Namajunas being planned as the main event for a UFC Fight Night on July 13 in Denver, Colorado.

Barber, coming off a commanding unanimous decision victory over Katlyn Cerminara at UFC 299 in March, now steps into her first UFC main event riding a six-fight win streak. This impressive run has elevated 'The Future' to the brink of title contention, with notable victories over Miranda Maverick, Jessica Eye, Andrea Lee, and Amanda Ribas.

Meanwhile, Namajunas ended a two-fight losing streak with a unanimous decision victory over Ribas. 'Thug Rose' holds a 1-1 record since transitioning to the flyweight division.

As a former strawweight champion, Namajunas boasts victories over notable opponents such as Zhang Weili, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, and Jessica Andrade, among others.

Dern recently took to the comment section of MMA Fighting's Instagram post and shared her reaction to the Barber vs. Namajunas matchup news:

"Ohhh dang [fire emoji]"

Check out Mackenzie Dern's comment below:

Credits: @mmafighting on Instagram

The 31-year-old Brazilian-American is currently experiencing a challenging phase in her career, having suffered consecutive losses against Andrade at UFC 295 and Amanda Lemos at UFC 298. Her four-fight win streak was halted after a unanimous decision loss to Marina Rodriguez in October 2021. Dern's recent performances have left her with three wins and four losses in her last seven fights.

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When Mackenzie Dern called out Rose Namajunas for a showdown

After securing a convincing unanimous decision victory over Angela Hill in the main event of UFC Vegas 73 last May, Mackenzie Dern publicly issued a challenge to Rose Namajunas for a fight. At that time, 'Thug Rose' was on a hiatus, and it was uncertain when she would return to the octagon.

During the UFC Vegas 73 post-event press conference (via MMA Fiighting), Dern revealed her eagerness to face Namajunas and recognized the formidable challenge she anticipates from the former champion:

"For sure, fighting Rose is a priority of mine right now at this moment. I think it would be a great fight, it would be a main event, and a good test for both of us. So when I see her training her jiu-jitsu, I’m like, 'Yeah, that’s not going to be an easy fight,' but I think it could be a great fight for the public, and for us."