It would be unfair to presume there was extra pressure on Mackenzie Dern when she flew to Abu Dhabi this past summer.
The renowned jiu-jitsu ace deals with stressful situations and pressure for a living. But the fact is, when she made the walk in August against Loopy Godniez, she set out to snap the only two-fight skid of her career.
In a grinder of a fight, Dern moved past her back-to-back losses and outworked Godinez for a crucial decision. You can rewatch her important win in the video above.
Saturday, Dern (15-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) headlines UFC Fight Night 249 (ESPN+) against Amanda Ribas (12-6 MMA, 7-5 UFC) at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The fight is a rematch from a 2019 fight that Ribas won by decision.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 249.
