Long before making her UFC debut in 2018, the jiu-jitsu world champion knew that it was her destiny to represent the sport of BJJ on MMA’s biggest stage. Today, the Phoenix native is 15 fights into her UFC career and currently sits as the sixth-ranked contender in the women’s strawweight division.
Dern believes she owes some of that success to Gracie.
“Gracie was one of my biggest influences,” Dern told MMA Junkie.