Mackenzie Dern’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu pedigree speaks for itself. She’s an ADCC world champion and was once the no. 1 ranked IBJJF competitor. So why isn’t she submitting her opponents in the UFC? Dern, in a recent episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer, discussed her failure to win via submission, pledging to get “a little bit meaner” in her return to the Octagon this weekend against Yao Xiaonan.
“They’re tough. These are the best of the best. We’re not playing here. These are former champions, champions, and they’re not going to tap because they feel pressure. I feel like with Tecia, I’m on the kimura and I’m doing it, I feel like 98 percent of the people would tap. You have to be a little bit mean like just rip it. Maybe they’ll tear their shoulder and have to have surgery or something like that. Of course, that’s not my goal but we’re all adults here. They’re going to try to hurt me.
Mackenzie Dern Promises to Be “A Little Bit Meaner” For Xiaonan Fight
It’s just ingrained from memory like I need to do it. I need to be technical to get the position but I’m not going be like “OK, give her a chance to tap.’ No, you need to just go. She’s resisting, she knows she’s in a bad position. These are things that I’m thinking about during the fight like pretty soon she’s going to tap. Oh shoot, she’s not tapping. She’s resisting! Because these girls are tough. They’re not just going to give up a loss for nothing.”
Dern discussed the positions she obtained in recent fights against Marina Rodriguez and Tecia Torres. “With Marina and Tecia, I got in good positions to submit them, with both of them. With Marina, I got the omo plata on her back and I didn’t finish the position. With Tecia, I had a kimura and a leg lock and I didn’t finish. Definitely even with a loss and a win, I’m learning something. I need to get my timing better.
I think I lost a little bit with my adjustments, I’m not as tight on my timing with submissions, which is my strength. These are positions that if I get to these positions, omo plata or the kimura, I shouldn’t be losing it or I shouldn’t be not submitting.
I lost that timing to get that submission and not letting it get away so definitely, I’ve been working on that for this fight. I guess being a little bit meaner and hey, we all signed up for this and we’re on a different level now. I’m excited.
I can’t be losing those positions. I should be finishing the fight there. Whatever she gives me, the back, the neck, the foot, leg, arm whatever she’ll give me. We’ll see. Hopefully she’ll tap.”
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