Athletes
Mackenzie Dern Hopes Maturation Equals Success
After Back-To-Back Losses, Mackenzie Dern Believes Her More Composed Approach To Fighting Brings Her Success In Abu Dhabi
When you’re paid to get into an Octagon with another world-class athlete donning four-ounce gloves, you are well past the general conventions of safety and fear. So, it makes sense when a fighter — in this case Mackenzie Dern — says it’s hard to not just bite down on her mouthpiece and initiate a brawl. Putting one’s self in harm’s way, but also in a place with a puncher’s chance, is actually an easier path in Dern’s head. The harder task is keeping emotions in check, sticking to clean technique and committing herself to a gameplan. That requires maturation, which is where Dern feels like she made big strides ahead of her return opposite Loopy Godinez at UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Nurmageomdov in Abu Dhabi.
Since joining the roster in March 2018, Dern has built a reputation as a fighter on her otherworldly jiu jitsu, but also on her toughness and grit. Whether she can bring the fight down to her world on the mat or not, Dern is always moving forward, never quits on herself and doesn’t mind taking damage as long as she can dish out some of her own. However, after three losses in her last four fights, and particularly following her decision loss to former title challenger Amanda Lemos, she knew she needed to change her approach.
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“It gave me confidence,” Dern said during her interview with UFC.com. “It really pushed me to find what's missing. I really think that the only thing that's missing is taking a little bit less damage, which indirectly is being calmer and seeing it. I think I was really able to see, ‘OK, I have what it takes to get to the belt.’”
“Maturation” is the buzzword coming from Dern, and it’s easy to see why. While she hit a bit of a rough patch of form, her three most recent losses came against two title challengers (Lemos, Yan Xiaonan) and a former champion (Jéssica Andrade). She hopes, against Godinez, to approach things more like a “sniper.”
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That goal is easier said than done, especially against a game opponent like Godinez. Dern is never one to shy away from a brawl. Half of her six performance bonuses came in the form of a Fight of the Night, further illustrating that point.
“Maturing is a hard thing to do,” she said. “Technique is something you can work on. You have someone to teach you but controlling your emotions and your feelings to not get caught up in that, in life and in your work, is something really hard to do. I feel like I finally got there, and I'm really excited to show that in this fight now against (Godinez).”
That said, Dern knows Godinez is always up for a brawl, so whether Dern keeps her composure or gives into old habits is to be seen. No matter how the fight plays out, however, Dern is just desperate to get her hand raised again to kickstart another run up the strawweight division, which seems as open as ever.
As always, Dern is also motivated to provide an example to her daughter, Moa, who is in Abu Dhabi with her.
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“Everyone wants to get that win,” she said. “That's what we train for. That's our job. So definitely, to get that win, be back on the winning streak, and, especially because my daughter is here, I have to represent her and get the win. It will mean everything.”
Don't miss a moment of UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Nurmagomedov, live from Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on August 3, 2024. Prelims start at 12pm ET/9am PT, while the main card kicks off live on ABC, ESPN & ESPN+ at 3pm ET/12pm PT.
