UFC commentator Daniel Cormier wants to see a Mackenzie Dern vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk matchup as the next fight for both ladies, after Dern's impressive win over Nina Nunes at UFC Vegas 22.
The former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion spoke on his ESPN show DC & Helwani about the potential matchup and why he believes Dern has earned the right to fight an elite opponent after the first-round submission win over Nunes.
“If the former champ wants to fight, I would love to see (Dern) fight Joanna Jedrzejczyk because if she can win that fight, I don’t know if you can even question whether or not she should get a title fight if she beats Joanna Jedrzejczyk,” Cormier said (h/t MiddleEasy). "Mackenzie Dern has earned the right to fight the elite or the elite, and it’s because she is so in tune with who she is today, as a mother, as a wife, and just as an athlete. She’s so game on the feet, and once you’re on the ground with her, it’s like watching a Jiu-Jitsu tutorial. (Dominick Cruz) and I are watching the fight, and Mackenzie slides into the mount, and immediately you’re like she’s going to go chase the armbar but she’s going to do it in a way where Nina Nunes doesn’t recognize that it’s coming, and that’s exactly what happened, Mackenzie Dern is truly something special, and it’s a joy to watch someone really mature into the athlete that people thought that she could become.”
With @MackenzieDern looking like a top strawweight contender, @dc_mma proposes former champ Joanna Jedrzejczyk as Dern's next opponent. pic.twitter.com/qjDfmfbtWT
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) April 12, 2021
Dern is now won her last four fights, three of which she won by first-round finishes, and earned her Performance of the Night honors. Jedrzejczyk is 2-4 in her last six Octagon appearances with four of those six fights being title fights. The former UFC strawweight champion's latest outing saw her drop a split-decision to Weili Zhang in a five-round instant classic and a bout that is arguably the greatest in women's MMA history.
Unstoppable on the ground --@MackenzieDern proves her jiu jitsu works on anyone! #UFCVegas23 pic.twitter.com/UP1Z74a6FY
— UFC (@ufc) April 10, 2021
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