Just days faraway from her strawweight title win, Mackenzie Dern is already willing to tackle the largest threat to her recent championship reign.
Moving to 2-0 as a professional against Brazilian star Virna Jandiroba within the co-main event of UFC 321, Mackenzie Dern snatched the vacant title at the primary time of trying in a title fight.
And already linked with a slew of opponents, including a clash with a recent title challenger, Dern has revealed her ideal scenario for the primary defense of her crown.
Sure to have an in depth eye on next month’s blockbuster UFC 322 for competition, Dern claims a certain star placed on the fundamental card is sensible.
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Mackenzie Dern eyes battle with Zhang Weili next
Joining the history books in Abu Dhabi, Dern became just the second ADCC and Jiu-Jitsu World Cup gold medalist to win a UFC championship, joining former heavyweight star Fabricio Werdum.
And hoping to enhance on her legacy further, the Arizona-born star revealed a pairing with Chinese sensation Zhang Weili likely makes probably the most sense for her next — in her quest to take out the very best of the very best on offer.
“I’m not gonna be like a baby champion,” Dern told Ariel Helwani. “I wanna be like whatever they [the UFC] want us to do — you understand what I mean? We’ll be ready, and we’ll train for that. I wanna beat the very best — I’m the very best without delay, but I wanna give you the chance to beat whoever is coming.
“…I believe like probably someone with a win streak,” Dern said of her first title defense opponent. “I believe (Zhang) Weili, even when she was to lose to Valentina (Shevchenko), but her win streak — like her being the previous champion, that is sensible. After which, Tatiana (Suarez) is coming off a win.”
Mackenzie Dern guarantees energetic title reign
Seeing her profession in the game limited amid her pregnancy along with her young daughter, Moa — whom she embraced after her Octagon heroics over the weekend — Dern has plans to enjoy an energetic reign.
Already welcoming the possibility to tackle now-former champion Weili, the decorated grappler claims more training and preparation will turn her right into a “beast” in her comeback tour.
“If I can get to the organization and all the pieces I did for this camp and just proceed that for two months, 6 months, a complete 12 months, 3 years… Imagine the variety of beast I could develop into,” Dern explained.