Mackenzie Dern made her UFC debut recently at UFC 222, defeating Ashley Yoder by split decision on the preliminary card.
The female competitor now has a win under the UFC banner, which is a promotion the fighter says she belongs in.
“I swear, it felt so normal. I was so relaxed. I didn’t even hear people [screaming],” Dern said on The MMA Hour. “I felt Bruce (Buffer) was talking to me when he was saying my name, but I was just looking at Ashley, trying to focus on what I wanted to do. I felt like I was meant to be there. Didn’t feel any nervous at all, like UFC jitters. It felt great to be there.”
Dern had previously competed in such promotions as the Invicta Fighting Championships and Legacy Fighting Alliance before coming to the UFC.
Yoder was able to survive a late rear naked choke attempt from Dern, which surprised the Brazilian fighter.
“There are two different types of chokes, one that people can’t breathe and the ones that they don’t feel it and they pass out. It was really tight; I was squeezing more on the side. But she was able to release the pressure. But it was a good fight,” says Dern.
While Dern will compete in the UFC again, no fight or event has been announced for her at this time.
