Mackenzie Dern

Mackenzie Dern: A Brief Biography

Source: Getty Images

Brazilian-American professional mixed martial artist Mackenzie Dern was born on March 24, 1993, and is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. She is presently ranked sixth in the female divisions and was once the top-ranked International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) competitor globally.

Dern is a world champion in both Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) and no-gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (black belt). In the UFC women's strawweight rankings as of November 2023, she is ranked seventh. Dern had been slated to make her mixed martial arts debut at Legacy FC 58 against Kenia Rosas during her days with the Legacy Fighting Alliance, and she won by a unanimous decision.

The fight at Legacy FC 61 was originally slated to take place at strawweight against Montana De La Rosa, but it was eventually rescheduled to catchweight because Dern was 2.8 pounds underweight. The bout was won via submission in the opening round.

In November 2017, Dern signed a contract with the Invicta Fighting Championship after winning her first four professional fights 4–0. On December 8, 2017, Dern faced Kaline Medeiros in Invicta FC 26: Maia vs. Niedzwiedz, where she made her Invicta debut. She won the bout with an armbar in round three.

Dern won her UFC debut against Ashley Yoder via split decision at UFC 222 in March 2018. After taking a maternity leave, Dern returned to the ring on October 12, 2019, at UFC on ESPN+ 19, to face Amanda Ribas. Unfortunately, she lost the fight by unanimous decision.

At UFC Fight Night 211 on October 1, 2022, Dern squared off against Yan Xiaonan, and she was defeated by a majority decision. On May 13, 2023, at UFC on ABC 4, Dern was supposed to take on Angela Hill. Instead, the fight was rescheduled for UFC Fight Night 223 a week later. She won by a unanimous decision.

Mackenzie Dern’s Personal Information

Mackenzie Dern Early Life

In the US state of Arizona, Mackenzie Dern was born. At the age of 14, Dern started competing in the adult classes, having started competing at a young age. She rose to the rank of black belt, granted by her father in December 2012, three months before turning twenty, and has won world championships in every belt level since then. She is a graduate of Glendale, Arizona's Ironwood High School.

Mackenzie Dern stands as a female Jiu-Jitsu fighter, achieving six first-place victories at the Asian Open, a remarkable feat. This accomplishment uniquely positions her as the only woman to secure gold medals at the Black Belt level across all five top-tier IBJJF Gi Championships: the Euros, the Brazilian Nationals, the Pan Ams, the Asian Open, and the Worlds. She defeated Gabi Garcia, a notable accomplishment in her famous career of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, despite a noticeable weight disparity.

Mackenzie Dern Personal Life

Dern is the daughter of grappling fighter Wellington "Megaton" Dias, who has won numerous accolades. Her early years were spent traveling from Arizona to her father's native Brazil. Portuguese and English come naturally to Dern.

Dern said that because her father, stepmother, and boyfriend are Brazilian, Portuguese has become her first language. She claimed that she spoke Portuguese more than English and that she thought and dreamed about anything fighting-related in Portuguese. Dern started training when she was three years old, working with her father and her black-belt stepmother, Luciana Tavares.

Mackenzie Dern Husband

Mackenzie Dern is currently single and recently divorced.

Source: Getty Images

Dern’s ex-husband, Wesley Santos, and Dern had a very complicated and publicized legal battle for their divorce and the custody of their daughter. During the divorce process, a number of complaints from both sides were made public, including ones regarding irregular finances, emotional and physical violence, and custody disputes.

Dern claimed that Santos had mistreated her two pets and refused to give her access to her bank account in Brazil. She further claimed that Santos had renewed the lease on a shared flat and had used her credit card fraudulently.

Conversely, Santos claimed that Dern had physically mistreated him, and he produced images of the purportedly bloodied nose she gave him after a brawl in a restaurant parking lot. Furthermore, he accused Dern of mistreating their daughter, an accusation that she denied.

The court's decision was not totally conclusive. Dern was granted joint custody of their daughter Moa by the court, designating him as the family's principal provider. As a result, the judge ordered Dern to pay Santos $10,000 in legal fees and an additional $4,006 a month in child and spousal support.

Mackenzie Dern Kids

Mackenzie Dern has a daughter with Wesley Santos, born on June 9, 2019. They named her Moa. As of 2023, she is four years old, and after Dern’s recent divorce, the couple has joint custody of the daughter after the court’s verdict on their divorce.

Source: Official Instagram Account of Mackenzie Dern

Mackenzie Dern Social Media

Mackenzie Dern’s social media handles are as follows:

• Instagram - Mackenzie Dern 🇺🇸🇧🇷 (@mackenziedern) • Instagram photos and videos

• Facebook - Facebook mackenziedern

• Twitter (X) - MackenzieDern (@MackenzieDern) / X (twitter.com)

Mackenzie Dern Net Worth

The net worth of Mackenzie Dern is estimated to be $1 million as of November 2023. According to Tapology, her career disclosed earnings are $316,000. Based on available information, Mackenzie Dern's career earnings total $823,450.

Despite suffering three defeats in her UFC career, Dern has amassed fight purses totaling $100,000 plus extra incentives. Her base pay is in the region of $66,000 to $80,000. Mackenzie Dern is anticipated to get roughly $80,000 in total compensation, with an extra fight bonus bringing her total earnings to $155,000. According to SportsDaily, Dern received $150,000 in base pay for her most recent fight, which took place at UFC Fight Night 223.

Mackenzie Dern Endorsements

Reportedly, Mackenzie Dern has endorsement deals with War Tribe, Zebra, My Protein, Hayabusa, and KillCliff. However, his earnings from such endorsements are not available.

Mackenzie Dern Investments

There is no information available about the investment in Mackenzie Dern.

Mackenzie Dern MMA Record

Mackenzie Dern has played 16 professional matches, winning 13 and losing three. She has won seven fights by submission and six by decision. Dern has not been defeated by submission, although three of her defeats have been decided by decision.

Dern's fights, with events, dates, and methods, are as follows:

• Mackenzie Dern secured a win against Angela Hill via unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Hill on May 20, 2023.

• Mackenzie Dern faced a loss to Yan Xiaonan via a majority decision at UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Yan on October 1, 2022.

• In her fight against Tecia Torres at UFC 273 on April 9, 2022, Mackenzie Dern emerged victorious with a split decision.

• Mackenzie Dern experienced a loss in a five-round battle against Marina Rodriguez at UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Rodriguez on October 9, 2021.

• At UFC on ABC: Vettori vs. Holland on April 10, 2021, Mackenzie Dern won by submitting Nina Nunes with an armbar in the first round.

• Mackenzie Dern's fight at UFC 256 on December 12, 2020, against Virna Jandiroba ended in a unanimous decision victory for Mackenzie Dern.

• Mackenzie Dern's encounter with Randa Markos at UFC Fight Night: Covington vs. Woodley on September 19, 2020, concluded with a win by armbar submission in the first round.

• At UFC on ESPN: Woodley vs. Burns on May 30, 2020, Mackenzie Dern secured a victory via kneebar submission against Hannah Cifers in the first round.

• A three-round battle against Amanda Ribas at UFC Fight Night: Joanna vs. Waterson on October 12, 2019, ended in a unanimous decision loss for Mackenzie Dern.

• Mackenzie Dern's first UFC win was against Amanda Cooper at UFC 224 on May 12, 2018, via rear-naked choke submission.

• Mackenzie Dern won a split decision against Ashley Yoder at UFC 222 on March 3, 2018.

• Mackenzie Dern won via armbar submission against Kaline Medeiros at Invicta FC 26: Maia vs. Niedzwiedz on December 8, 2017.

• In her flyweight debut, Mackenzie Dern secured a win by rear-naked choke submission against Mandy Polk at LFA 24 on October 13, 2017.

• Mackenzie Dern's unanimous decision win against Katherine Roy took place at LFA 6 on March 10, 2017.

• Mackenzie Dern won by rear-naked choke submission against Montana De La Rosa at Legacy FC 61 on October 14, 2016.

• Mackenzie Dern's first professional win came via unanimous decision against Kenia Rosas at Legacy FC 58 on July 22, 2016.

Mackenzie Dern MMA Losses

Mackenzie Dern has three MMA losses, all by decision, and they are as follows:

• After taking a maternity leave, Dern fought Amanda Ribas on October 12, 2019, at UFC on ESPN+ 19. Dern was declared the winner by a unanimous vote.

• On October 9, 2021, Dern participated in UFC Fight Night 194 against Marina Rodriguez; she was defeated by a unanimous decision. She did, however, win the Fight of the Night title for this particular bout.

• On October 1, 2022, Dern participated in UFC Fight Night 211 against Yan Xiaonan; however, she was defeated by a majority decision.

Mackenzie Dern Championships/Belts Won

Mackenzie Dern's Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) accomplishments are as follows:

• Dern won Performance of the Night three times, vs. Hannah Cifers, Randa Markos, and Nina Ansaroff.

• Dern won Fight of the Night twice vs. Marina Rodriguez and Angela Hill

• Most submission wins in UFC Women's Strawweight Division history

• Most submission attempts in UFC Women's Strawweight Division history

• The second-most submission wins in UFC Women's history

• Third-most post-fight bonuses in UFC Women's Strawweight division history

Mackenzie Dern's medals are listed below:

ADCC World Championship

• Gold medal – first place (2015 São Paulo) -60kg

ADCC North American Championships

• Gold medal – first place (2012 San Diego) -60kg

World Jiu-Jitsu Championship

• Bronze medal – third place (2014 California, USA) -59 kg

• Gold medal – first place (2015 California, USA) -59 kg

• Bronze medal – third place (2015 California, USA) Absolute

Nogi World Jiu-Jitsu Championship

• Gold medal – first place (2014 California, USA) -55.5 kg

• Silver medal – second place (2014 California, USA) Absolute

• Silver medal – second place (2015 California, USA) -55.5 kg

• Gold medal – first place (2015 California, USA) Absolute

Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championship

• Silver medal – second place (2014 California, USA) -59 kg

• Bronze medal – third place (2014 California, USA) Absolute

• Gold medal – first place (2015 California, USA) -59 kg

• Silver medal – second place (2015 California, USA) Absolute

European Championship

• Gold medal – first place (2013 Lisbon, Portugal) -58kg

Brazilian National Championship

• Gold medal – first place (2014 Rio De Janeiro, Brazil) -58kg

• Gold medal – first place (2015 Rio De Janeiro, Brazil) -58kg

Asian Open Championship

• Gold medal – first place (2014 Tokyo, Japan) -58kg

• Gold medal – first place (2014 Tokyo, Japan) Absolute

• Gold medal – first place (2015 Tokyo, Japan) -58kg

• Gold medal – first place (2015 Tokyo, Japan) Absolute

World Cup

• Gold medal – first place (2015 Abu Dhabi) -55 kg

• Gold medal – first place (2015 Abu Dhabi) Absolute

Representing Brazil - World Jiu-Jitsu Championship

• Gold medal – first place (2016 California, USA) -59 kg

• Bronze medal – third place (2016 California, USA) Absolute

Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championship

• Gold medal – first place (2016 California, USA) -59 kg

• Bronze medal – third place (2016 California, USA) Absolute

European Championship

• Gold medal – first place (2016 Lisbon, Portugal) -58kg

• Gold medal – first place (2017 Lisbon, Portugal) -58kg

Asian Open Championship

• Gold medal – first place (2016 Tokyo, Japan) -64g

• Gold medal – first place (2016 Tokyo, Japan) Absolute

World Cup

• Gold medal – first place (2016 Abu Dhabi) -55 kg

Mackenzie Dern Contract

There is no information available about the contracts of Mackenzie Dern.

Mackenzie Dern Diet

To maintain her amazing physique, Mackenzie Dern adheres to a highly restrictive diet. The goal of the Brazilian-American fighter's diet is to provide her body with the nutrition it needs to function at its best.

Dern's diet is based mostly on eating whole, unprocessed foods. She emphasizes eating complex carbs, healthy fats, and lean meats. These are the key components of her diet that matter most.

Mackenzie Dern House

Mackenzie Dern resides in Los Angeles, California, but the exact address is not known due to security or privacy reasons.

Mackenzie Dern Car

There is no information available about the car collection of Mackenzie Dern.