Mackenzie Dern Refuses to Rest After Capturing UFC Title: “I have a huge target on my back”
Mackenzie Dern doesn’t plan on taking any time off following her title-winning performance at UFC 321.
The BJJ bombshell finally broke through, defeating Virna Jandiroba via unanimous decision to claim the vacant strawweight world championship in Abu Dhabi.
It was without a doubt the biggest win of Dern’s career, but she doesn’t plan to sit back and enjoy it for very long.
“I feel a little sore, but I feel amazing,” Dern said during her UFC 321 post-fight interview. “You know, I think we let it all out there. We really gave our best to try and get the fight. It’s like a dream come true, but every time I reach a goal I always make a new one. So I’m already thinking about getting back in the gym, getting better, and I know I have a huge target on my back now. So I want to make sure I’m ready for what’s coming next.”
What’s next for Dern remains to be seen, but she’s welcoming all challengers, including former two-time champ Zhang Weili and the division’s No. 2 ranked contender, Tatiana Suarez.
“I don’t know how much say I have now being a champion,” Dern said. “I don’t know how much my word and my decisions get into play. But I’m here to defend it, so whoever gets sent to me, I’ll be ready for. I don’t know if (Zhang) Weili (will come back), but I would definitely like to fight Tatiana (Suarez). Maybe she gets one more fight in. I want to have a couple more fights with some grapplers.”
With Zhang currently scheduled for a scrap with reigning flyweight titleholder Valentina Shevchenko on November 15, Suarez appears to be the logical choice, though we likely won’t find out who’s first up for Dern until sometime next year.
