Long known as a Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist, [autotag]Mackenzie Dern[/autotag] said her work with new coach Jason Parillo is paying immediate dividends, and she believes a UFC title shot could be coming soon.
“Definitely in 2021, I want to try and pick a little bit more my fights to really get me one step closer to the belt, not just fight anyone for anytime for anything,” Dern said Thursday during a virtual media day ahead of UFC 256. “I really want to fight the top fighters and show that I have the level to be the champion. I don’t want to get there by just fighting anyone. I want to get there by proving myself, and I think the best way to prove it is by fighting the top contenders.”
Dern (9-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) will take a step in that direction at Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, where she takes on former Invicta FC strawweight champion Virna Jandiroba (16-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC). The main-card bout streams on ESPN+ pay-per-view after prelims on ESPN2 and ESPN+.
It’s a meaningful fight at 115 pounds, with Jandiroba sitting at No. 7 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie strawweight rankings, and Dern checking in at No. 13. It’s also an intriguing matchup stylistically, with both fighters being sensational grapplers. However, Dern believes her game is a bit more well rounded.
“I think her grappling is a lot of pressure and passing and things like that, and people see me doing these crazy armbars and leglocks and kind of a little bit looser and stuff like that, but man, I’m a complete fighter,” Dern said.
A lifelong jiu-jitsu practitioner, grappling is second nature to the 27-year-old at this point in her career. But recent work with Parillo, which started ahead of her September win over Randa Markos, made her much more confident in her standup game, as well.
Dern said her strategy is certainly not built primarily around striking but thinks her improvements on the feet will prove beneficial.
“Of course my plan is not to win the fight striking, but I definitely think it’s going to give a lot more opportunities to show and maybe hurt her a little bit on my striking so the jiu-jitsu will be even easier, but I think it’s going to be a great fight,” Dern said.
The winner will certainly take a big step forward in the UFC’s increasingly deep strawweight division, which is expected to feature some marquee matchups early in 2021. With a two-fight winning streak built since suffering the lone loss of her career, Dern wants to be a part of those fights and believes Saturday is her chance to get her name in the mix.
“I’m seeing such a big evolution on my game, my striking,” Dern said. “I’m training more my boxing than my jiu-jitsu, and I’m like, ‘Man, I’m seeing such a big evolution’ and everything, so I really want to try to take advantage of this momentum that I have for my last two fights, take advantage of my training with (Parillo) and how much potential he’s showing me that I have. So I’m really happy, and I’m excited to see if I can show everyone with this fight.”
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