When she first began her transition from Brazilian jiu-jitsu royalty into the great unknown that was MMA, Mackenzie Dern set a goal of debuting in the UFC by the end of 2017.
Turns out she was only a few months off from being a soothsayer.
After an unbeaten run on the regional scene, Dern, now 5-0 and only 24 years old, will make her Octagon debut against Ashley Yoder on March 3 at UFC 222. The moment is one long anticipated for the decorated black belt, who was the No. 1-ranked female jiu-jitsu player in the world when she announced her transition to the pugilistic arts. But for Dern, a blue-chip combat sports athlete who has been training in a gi since the age of 3, the countdown to UFC 222…
