Explore the latest developments concerning Mackenzie Dern admits.
Mackenzie Dern admits she may not have been ready to face Zhang Weili, but title win at UFC 321 can change that
The competitive side of Mackenzie Dern hopes to one day share the octagon with Zhang Weili, but if it happened now, she believes it wouldn’t be the right time, even if Zhang didn’t make the move up to flyweight.
Now Dern steps into her first UFC title fight this Saturday as she faces Virna Jandiroba in the co-main event of UFC 321 with the vacant strawweight championship on the line. Zhang vacated the belt to challenge Valentina Shevchenko for the flyweight title in the co-main event of next month’s UFC 322 event.
Dern respects everything Zhang has accomplished at 115 pounds, and that’s why the timing wouldn’t have been right to face the multi-time divisional champ at this point in her career.
UFC 321 'Countdown' video for Virna Jandiroba vs. Mackenzie Dern strawweight title fight
Did you miss the debut of UFC 321 "Countdown" or just want to watch it again? Check out the co-main event preview now.
The segment takes a special look at the vacant women's strawweight title fight between Virna Jandiroba (22-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) and Mackenzie Dern (15-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC). It's a rematch from a fight Dern won nearly five years ago. The 115-pound title is on the line after Zhang Weili vacated to move to flyweight.
UFC 321 (Pay-per-view, Disney+, ESPN+) takes place Saturday at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. "Countdown" goes behind the scenes with the two fighters, and you can watch the full segment above. And don't miss the entire episode in the video below.
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“Keep Growing”: Why Mackenzie Dern Never Lost Motivation After a Loss – Her Advice
UFC star Mackenzie Dern has explained how she doesn’t lose motivation, even in the wake of big defeats.
On Saturday night, Mackenzie Dern faces the biggest night of her mixed martial arts career. She will go head to head with Virna Jandiroba in the co-main event of UFC 321 and if she wins, she will capture the vacant UFC strawweight championship in the wake of Zhang Weili vacating the title to pursue a superfight against Valentina Shevchenko.
Mackenzie Dern has always been a popular fighter in the sport but over the years, she has certainly faced her fair share of challenges. Despite that, she hasn’t allowed it to impact her ability to keep moving forward, which is how she’s been able to earn a shot at the gold.