Dern staying at strawweight despite weight cut issues

Bloodyelbow.com

Highly accomplished jiu-jitsu specialist Mackenzie Dern is a perfect 7-0 in her MMA career, and 2-0 in the UFC. If there is one problem that has plagued her in MMA, it’s making the strawweight limit, and even though she’s missed three times, she is still going to compete at that weight class.

According to ESPN’s Ariel Helwani, Dern plans to continue fighting at 115 lbs “after a long consultation process with doctors.” The 25-year-old weighted an astonishing 123 lbs for her UFC 224 win vs. Amanda Bobby Cooper, seven pounds over the non-title strawweight limit. She’s also come in at 120 and 118.8 lbs for her other misses. Her one official flyweight fight came in October 2017, when she submitted Mandy Polk.

The 2015 ADCC world champion made her much-anticipated Octagon debut last year at UFC 222, earning a split decision over Ashley Yoder. Against Cooper, she scored a knockdown that led to the immediate back take and rear-naked choke finish.

Dern, who is #15 in the UFC’s official strawweight rankings, is targeting a return in late March. The UFC is holding events on both March 23rd and 30th, with the latter an ESPN televised card in Phildelphia, Pennsylvania.