Mackenzie Dern has been working toward a shot at the UFC Strawweight Championship on Saturday night in the UFC 321 co-main event for the past seven-plus years. Since joining the UFC’s active roster from Invicta in early 2018, she’s made the walk to the fabled Octagon 15 times.
During her 15-fight tenure with the UFC, Dern has fought twice with Amanda Ribas, going 1-1 in that series, most recently besting Ribas in the rematch on the first card of the year Jan. 11. Earlier this year, the UFC Strawweight Championship was vacated by Zhang Weili, who elected to try her luck at flyweight for a title fight against Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 322 next month.