After the most complete performance of her career, Mackenzie Dern is looking forward to a matchup with a former UFC champ – with Rose Namajunas at the helm.
After her unanimous decision victory over Angela Hill in the main event at UFC Vegas 73, Dern called out Namajunas for a bout later this year. With the future of “Thug Rose” up in the air, it is unknown when Namajunas will return to the Octagon. She told MMA Fighting in a 2022 interview that she wanted to put on some muscle and compete in some grappling matches before putting her MMA gloves back on.
If Namajunas decides she’s ready to fight back, Dern says she’ll be ready.
“Sure, I follow her on social media and stuff, and I’ve seen her do regional work for ADCC [tournament] Or something like that,” Dern told reporters UFC Vegas 73 post-fight press conference. “I’m a former ADCC champ, so I’m always happy when I see MMA girls doing jiu-jitsu. But, for sure, (Rose’s) fighting is my priority right now at this moment.
“I think it’s going to be a great fight, it’s going to be a main event, a good test for both of us. So when I see her doing jiu-jitsu training, I’m like, ‘Yeah, that’s not going to be an easy fight,’ but I think it could be a great fight for the crowd and for us.”
Dern managed to recover from a decision loss to Yan Xiaonan at the UFC Vegas 61 event in October, and now has the wins and losses of her last four bouts rolling back.
Should Namajunas not be available, Dern would like to undo one of her recent losses, or test herself against another former strawweight queen.
“I’d like a rematch with Yan, I think she did great with Jessica,” Dern said. “I think it was a really close fight [we had], so I’d like to have this rematch if Rose wasn’t available, or even Jessica Andrade – who’s also a former champion – but definitely someone in the top five. I’m ready for all of them.”