Mackenzie Dern has come a long way.
Once upon a time, the former IBJJF and ADCC world champion was just a jiu-jitsu star trying to flex her skills inside a cage. Today, she’s a champion once again, having defeated Virna Jandiroba at UFC 321 to capture the promotion’s vacant 115-pound title.
Dern’s performance, which saw her outstrike Jandiroba by a margin of 249 to 208, was not just the crowning of a new strawweight queen — it was the culmination of years of hard work and dedication to honing her skills and becoming one of the most well-rounded mixed martial arts inside the Octagon.