Mackenzie Dern has no plans to take any time off following her title-winning performance at UFC 321.
The BJJ bombshell eventually broke through, defeating Virna Jandiroba via unanimous decision to claim the vacant strawweight world championship in Abu Dhabi.
It was undoubtedly the biggest win of Dern’s career, but she doesn’t plan on sitting back and enjoying it for long.
“I feel a little sore, but I feel great,” Dern said during her UFC 321 bout post-fight interview. “You know, I think we’ve let go of everything. We’ve really been trying our best to keep up the fight. It’s like a dream come true, but every time I achieve 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 goal on my back now. So I just want to make sure I’m ready for what’s coming.”
What’s next for Dern remains to be seen, but she welcomes all challengers, including former two-time champion Zhang Weili and division No. 2 Tatiana Suarez.
“I don’t know how much control I have now as champion,” Dern said. “I don’t know how much my word and my decisions are in play. But I am here to defend it, so whoever is sent to me, I will be ready. I don’t know if (Zhang) Weili (will come back), but I would definitely like to fight Tatiana (Suarez). Maybe she will get another fight. I want to have a few more fights with a few wrestlers.”
With Zhang currently scheduled to face reigning flyweight titleholder Valentina Shevchenko on November 15, Suarez seems the logical choice, although we likely won’t find out who comes first for Dern until sometime next year.
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