Mackenzie Dern captured the vacant UFC women’s strawweight title after defeating Virna Jandiroba by unanimous decision at UFC 321. The fight, held on October 14, 2023, showcased Dern’s significantly enhanced striking skills, with two judges scoring the match 48-47 and a third awarding it 49-46 in favor of the new champion.
In an emotional moment following her victory, Dern, 32, celebrated in the Octagon alongside her six-year-old daughter. “This feels amazing,” she said, tears in her eyes. The title was previously held by Zhang Weili, who vacated it in preparation for her upcoming fight against flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko scheduled for November.
The match marked a rematch between Dern and Jandiroba, who first faced off in December 2020. During their last encounter, Dern won a striking-heavy battle. This time, Jandiroba attempted to mix her grappling skills with striking to keep Dern off balance. Despite these efforts, Dern proved well-prepared, consistently winning striking exchanges over the 25 minutes.
“We knew the striking was good, but I wish it was better,” Dern remarked after the fight. “I was hoping for a knockout.” Her performance was characterized by an impressive display of striking, outlanding Jandiroba 247 to 152. Although Dern had a mixed record of 5-4 since their previous meeting, her commitment to improving her striking proved decisive.
Jandiroba, who entered the fight on a five-fight winning streak, struggled to implement her game plan. Despite taking Dern down multiple times—recording nine takedowns throughout the match—she was unable to establish any significant offense. Dern’s ability to return to her feet quickly neutralized Jandiroba’s ground game, which was a pivotal aspect of the fight.
Jandiroba sustained visible damage from Dern’s jabs, particularly swelling under her right eye. While she managed to land some effective punches, it was not enough to counter Dern’s striking effectiveness and overall control of the bout. Dern’s victory improved her record against Jandiroba to 2-0.
Reflecting on the fight, Dern noted, “It wasn’t the fight I expected; I thought it was going to be a little easier. I know she would get the takedowns. I think I did a lot of damage on the ground, but we did a little bit of everything in the cage with striking and on the ground.”
With this win, Dern not only adds a championship title to her accolades but also demonstrates her evolution as a fighter, moving beyond her renowned grappling background to become a well-rounded competitor in the octagon.
