UFC strawweight Mackenzie Dern is preparing to take on Yan Xiaonan in the UFC Vegas 61 main event this Saturday.
A win for the fifth-ranked strawweight could put her in the mix for a shot at the title. With so much on the line at the Apex this weekend, Dern has detailed who she’d love to face in her next bout.
Facing a Former Champion
The Brazilian enters her second UFC main event, ready to pick up her second win of 2022. Her most recent scrap ended with a split decision victory over Tecia Torres at UFC 273.
Now she faces the extremely tough Yan Xiaonan. Yan currently sits at number six in the rankings, one place behind her opponent. Whoever wins could potentially make a strong case for a shot at the title in 2023.
Dern has told us at Combat Sports UK who she’d love to face-off against next, should the fight go her way.
“I think Rose or Jessica Andrade, I think those two. I don’t know if they’re staying at 115 [pounds], or what they’re doing. Those are the two I know don’t really have a fight right now. I think if they were to stay at 115, one of those two.
“Or, I think the loser of Zhang Weili and Carla Esparza. For me, one of those four, they’re all former champions. I would like to fight a former champ. I think that would be my next big step. If I get a good win on this, I’d like to fight one of the former champs of the division.
“And, I think if I get a win against one of them, that’s when they’ll be like ‘ok, you’re ready to fight for the belt’.
Mackenzie Dern Interview
Who would you like to see Mackenzie Dern next? Let us know!
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
