After promising to submit Yao Xiaonan on her way to the strawweight title, Mackenzie Dern earned a majority decision loss at this weekend’s UFC Fight Night. After UFC Vegas 61, a visibly upset Mackenzie Dern apologized to the fans for her inability to impose her will on Xiaonan over the course of five rounds.
“I didn’t do what I came to do. My goal was if I got it to the ground, I should be finishing it. I have the best jiu-jitsu, I believe, in the women’s division, so I had lots of opportunities to finish and she was just the better fighter than me. I just feel I’ve been getting so [much] better and it’s hard to not be able to show it in the fight.
Apologetic Mackenzie Dern Devastated By Xianoan Loss
I have so much to grow and it’s all part of the journey and I just thank Dana [White], the UFC, my team, the Zuckerberg family for being here and making this such a great event. I’m sorry if I made anyone sad with my performance. So many people believed in me and I believed in myself, but it’s part of the game.”
Dern acknowledged her opponent’s takedown defense and toughness. “I knew that I was going to have to break her arm or put her to sleep.
She’s tough. That’s what I was saying the whole time coming in here. She’s a tough girl. I knew she wasn’t going to tap easily and then standing, she hits hard. The first couple punches … I was like, ‘This is going to be a dog fight.’ I knew it was going to be a dog fight but I really, really thought I was going to submit her. I was surprised with her defense. I don’t feel like her defense was the best defense, but I think that she’s tough so she’s hanging in there.
That’s what I saw from Tecia, that’s what I saw from Marina, that’s what it is. The best of the best, they’re not going to tap from anything. I just need to keep working on my game, get my jiu-jitsu on point, be aggressive 100 percent of the time and get my striking better.”
Mackenzie Dern’s jiu-jitsu pedigree is without question, but at 2-2 in her last four fights, Dern has not been able to translate her grappling dominance to the Octagon. Do you think Mackenzie Dern will be able to make the necessary adjustments to her game to seriously pursue a UFC title? Let us know in the comments.
