Mackenzie Dern defeated Virna Jandiroba to become the new strawweight world title holder UFC321.
Dern was able to find her range early, landing a few stiff leg kicks and lighting up Jandiroba with combinations. That prompted Jandiroba to shoot in for a double leg. Dern was placed on her back for a moment, but eventually she worked her way up and separated.
Jandiroba scored a takedown before the bell, although she did little on the mat.
Jandiroba added two more takedowns in the second, but it was Dern who did most of the damage, with a slew of strikes and elbows from the bottom.
In the third, Jandiroba continued to mix her striking and wrestling, while Dern was seemingly willing to take whatever takedown attempt the Brazilian offered. Still, Dern was perhaps the more active fighter on her back, hitting Jandiroba with a series of elbows.
Jandiroba started to show signs of slowing down in the fourth, allowing Dern to pin her against the cage and control the action. Dern finally got her wrestling going late in the round, scoring a slick double leg in the middle of the round Octagon. With less than a minute left in the stanza, Jandiroba was content to stay on her back and avoid further damage.
Both fighters scored takedowns in the fifth and final round, but it was Dern who continued to crush her opponent. Dern ended the fight by dropping bombs from the top, securing a unanimous decision victory and her first-ever UFC title.
Official result: Mackenzie Dern final. Virna Jandiroba captured the vacant UFC strawweight world championship by unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46).
Watch highlights of Virna Jandiroba vs. Mackenzie Dern at UFC 321:
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