UFC 224: The best and worst

#3 Worst: Is Mackenzie Dern serious about MMA?

Mackenzie Dern missed weight by 7lbs for her fight on Saturday

Signed by the UFC in early 2018, former Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion Mackenzie Dern was bringing a lot of hype into the Octagon, as much for her marketable looks and personality as her insane grappling skills.

She struggled in her UFC debut against Ashley Yoder in March, but that was put down to a lack of experience at the top level.

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She performed far better at UFC 224, dropping and choking out Amanda Cooper in the first round.

But, the big question coming out of the show for Dern is whether she’s actually serious about her MMA career. Despite the fight supposedly taking place in the Strawweight division – 115lbs – Dern weighed in at 123lbs, 7lbs over and closer to the Flyweight division.

This came after reports that she’d been asked to leave her training camp due to her preferring to be on the beach than in training.

Dern’s natural talent will clearly take her a certain distance up the ladder in the UFC, but if she wants to make it to the very top, something clearly needs to change for her, largely in terms of her preparation.

We’ll see how serious she is about her MMA career in her next fight, but for now, the signs are largely worrying.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

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Edited by Akhilesh Tirumala