Mackenzie Dern isn’t trying to have a title shot handed to her, particularly if she’s not correctly ready.
It’s comprehensible that Dern is listening to title buzz once more after an enormous win in Saturday’s UFC Vegas 101 foremost occasion that noticed her submit Amanda Ribas with an armbar in the third round. Not solely did Dern avenge a 2019 loss to Ribas, she strung collectively consecutive wins for the primary time since 2021, and he or she held on to her spot on the strawweight ladder (Dern is presently No. 8 within the MMA Fighting Global Rankings).
The strawweight title is ready to be defended at UFC 312 on Feb. 8 when champion Zhang Weili fights undefeated challenger Tatiana Suarez, and the winner may need a recent challenger sooner reasonably than later. Dern is up for the chance, however prefers to take issues sluggish to ensure she’s not simply able to win the belt, however maintain on to it.
“I feel I’m very exhausting on myself and I all the time attempt to get higher,” Dern stated on the night’s post-fight press conference. “Even when I’ve a terrific efficiency, I feel I did so many issues incorrect. So I feel it’s quite a lot of play messing in your head, so it may well take your journey and possibly makes it a bit longer. However I feel in the long run it actually helps you need to be one of the best fighter attainable if you happen to can actually look again and have constructive criticism on your self.
“My thought isn’t to go combat for the belt after which lose it quick. My thought is to get the belt, and I need to be a dominant champion, so I’m not in a rush to get there. I need to have good fights, and I need to make a press release.”
It’s not unusual for the UFC to have alternative fighters available for title fights and given Suarez’s unlucky historical past of accidents, the promotion may have one for the UFC 312 co-main occasion.
Virna Jandiroba was initially anticipated to combat Suarez this previous December, solely to withdraw from that bout and find yourself in a title combat as an alternative. That leaves the door open for Jandiroba to be a backup for Zhang vs. Suarez, or it could possibly be Dern who will get the decision.
“I feel positively my identify could possibly be thrown in there if one thing occurs,” Dern stated. “They’ve known as me on quick discover earlier than, like with Amanda Lemos, her combat earlier than me was only for the title. So I feel positively I could possibly be thrown in there.
“If we’d settle for it or not, I don’t know, that’s one thing me and the crew must undergo. I positively don’t need to settle for one thing if we’re not prepared and simply have a foul efficiency, however I feel my identify’s positively shut there now.”
The dilemma Dern faces now could be that she has already fought a number of of the fighters ranked above her and he or she’s uncertain if any of them are itching to satisfy her in a rematch. Her precedence is extending her win streak and if meaning beating Jandiroba once more, she’d think about it.
“None of them particular,” Dern stated when requested which opponent she’d desire to combat once more. “I’m simply considering, my subsequent fights are going to be ‘Dern 2,’ I’m going to be in all these rematches. Any of the women, I feel I’m going to coach one of the best I can regardless of who comes.
“Perhaps Virna once more. I do know Tatiana got here out they usually form of threw out possibly I’d step in [to fight Jandiroba], however I don’t assume that combat was actually good for her at the moment, however now that Tatiana’s going for the belt, possibly that’s one thing that she would need to do. However yeah, nothing particular.”
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