Brazilian-American professional mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner Mackenzie Lynne Dern Santos was born on March 24, 1993. She is presently ranked sixth in the female divisions and was once the top-ranked IBJJF competitor in the world. She holds world titles in no-gi BJJ (black belt) and ADCC. She is ranked seventh in the UFC women's strawweight rankings as of November 2023.
On March 3, 2018, at UFC 222, Dern made her promotional debut against Ashley Yoder, prevailing by split decision. On May 12, 2018, at UFC 224, Dern squared off against Amanda Cooper. Dern weighed in at 123 pounds during the weigh-ins, which was 7 pounds above the 116-pound upper limit for strawweight non-title fights. The fight went on at catchweight as a result, and Dern was penalized 30% of her purse. Dern won via rear-naked choke (submission).
On October 12, 2019, at UFC on ESPN+ 19, Dern fought Amanda Ribas following a maternity leave break, though Dern was defeated by a unanimous decision. On October 1, 2022, Dern participated in UFC Fight Night 211 against Yan Xiaonan. A majority decision resulted in her losing the fight.
On May 13, 2023, Dern was supposed to compete against Angela Hill at the UFC on ABC 4. Instead, the fight was rescheduled for UFC Fight Night 223 and moved back one week. It was a unanimous decision that gave her the victory. She won the Fight of the Night award for her bout. On November 11, 2023, at UFC 295, Dern is slated to square off against former UFC strawweight champion Jessica Andrade.
Is Mackenzie Dern’s accent changed?
As a result of her extended exposure to Brazilians and the Portuguese language, Mackenzie Dern's accent gradually changed from Brazilian to American. Dern was born in Pheonix, Arizona, in the United States. She spent her early years flying back and forth from Arizona to her father's home country of Brazil. Portuguese has emerged as her first language, she said: "My dad and stepmom are both Brazilian. My boyfriend (now ex) speaks Portuguese. I'm speaking Portuguese more than English. I still have lots of interactions in English, of course. But I think in Portuguese, anything to do with fight is all in Portuguese in my mind; I dream in Portuguese."
At first, Dern's accent was typical of an American born in Arizona. However, at some point in her UFC career, she drastically changed her accent, turning it into a classic Brazilian accent. Online admirers who had previously heard her talk with an American accent paid close attention to this.
But Mackenzie Dern had straightforward logic. She was raised speaking Portuguese, spent time in both Brazil and the United States, and was frequently surrounded by Brazilians because her father, stepmother, and ex-husband, Wesley Santos, are all Brazilians.
In response, some fans assert that she has done more than just alter her accent. They claim that she purposefully changed the grammar and sentence structure of her formerly error-free English, as well as regressed her vocabulary.
They said she didn't just speak English with a Brazilian accent; rather, she did it to replicate the broken English spoken by Brazilians who are still learning the language. However, it is up for debate among fans.
Did Mackenzie Dern live in Brazil?
No, Mackenzie Dern does not live in Brazil. Dern was born in Phoenix, Arizona, United States, and she fights out of Los Angeles, California.
Dern has spent a lot of time traveling between Brazil and the United States because her father, Wellington 'Megaton' Dias, is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu legend who moved to the United States from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
However, where she went in Brazil is not officially revealed, although it seems probable that she went to Rio de Janeiro, her father's birthplace.
FAQs
A. Mackenzie Dern's accent shifted from American to Brazilian due to her upbringing, extended exposure to Brazilians, and frequent use of the Portuguese language.
A. Mackenzie Dern was born in Phoenix, Arizona, in the United States.
A. Portuguese is Mackenzie Dern's first language due to her Brazilian heritage and upbringing.
A. Mackenzie Dern is fluent in Portuguese and English.
A. There is debate among fans about whether Mackenzie Dern intentionally altered her English grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structure, along with her accent.
