Mackenzie Dern

Mackenzie Dern is an American mixed martial artist competing in the strawweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, a multiple-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion and one of the most technically accomplished grapplers — male or female — to compete in MMA. Born on August 24, 1993 in Phoenix, Arizona, Dern grew up immersed in jiu-jitsu through her father Wellington Dern, himself an accomplished competitor, and the sport became the central organizing element of her athletic life from childhood onward.

Dern holds multiple world championship titles in Brazilian jiu-jitsu across different formats, including gi and no-gi competition, and her submission grappling credentials were established at the highest levels of the sport before she made her MMA debut. Specifically, she has won the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship, widely considered the most prestigious title in submission grappling — a distinction that places her among the elite submission grapplers on earth, regardless of gender or weight class.

In MMA, Dern has worked to develop the striking and wrestling attributes necessary to set up the ground game where she is most dominant. Her stand-up has improved meaningfully since her debut, and her understanding of how to create entries into the grappling exchanges she controls best has become more sophisticated with each camp. Opponents face a genuine challenge in neutralizing her groundwork — her ability to operate from her back, sweep to top position, and attack submissions throughout creates a constant threat that requires both technical knowledge and high-stakes preparation.

Her UFC career has featured victories against a range of credentialed strawweight competitors, and her championship pedigree in jiu-jitsu has translated into finishing ability at 115 pounds. In a strawweight division with competitive depth at every position, Dern's world-class grappling foundation keeps her in championship contention as one of the division's most technically formidable competitors.

Stats last updated: August 18, 2026