In terms of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu credibility, Mackenzie Dern was born for the martial arts. She’s a third-degree black belt, promoted by her father, the inimitable Wellington “Megaton” Dias, himself a revered determine with a coral belt and a choking grip on BJJ historical past.
Mackenzie Dern’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Credentials
Dern’s lineage runs straight by means of the Gracie tree: Carlos Gracie – Helio Gracie – Royler Gracie – Wellington Dias – Mackenzie Dern. A really spectacular lineage.
Dern’s journey began almost as quickly as she might stroll; by age three, she was on the mats, shadowing her dad and stepmom (black belt Luciana Tavares) as a substitute of cartoons. She gained her black belt at age 19, racking up coloured belt world titles like they have been memento tees: IBJJF World Champion at blue, purple, and brown belt – she made it a behavior.
“My dad is black belt, Megaton Dias and my stepmom, Luciana Dias can also be a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Luckily, as a substitute of a babysitter, my dad took me to his academy the place he launched me to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu after I was 3 years previous.” She defined. “My father has been closely concerned in my jiu-jitsu profession since I started my coaching on the age of three. He has taught me nearly every part I must learn about methods to practice and reside like an athlete.”
Championships and Accolades
If BJJ had a procuring cart, Dern would want a few them. She’s the one lady to snag Gold (as a black belt, thoughts you) in any respect 5 of the high-profile IBJJF Gi Championships: Worlds, Euros, Pan Ams, Brazilian Nationals, and Asian Open. She additionally holds gold in each the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship and IBJJF No-Gi Worlds, making her a unicorn in girls’s grappling.
Highlights embody:
1st Place ADCC Championship (2015)
1st Place IBJJF Black Belt World Championship (2015)
1st Place IBJJF No-Gi World Championship (2015, Absolute division)
1st Place IBJJF Pan American Championship (2015, 2016)
AJP Abu Dhabi World Professional Champion (2015, 2016)
Let’s not overlook the headline-grabbing win over the much-larger Gabi Garcia — a feat hardly ever completed on the prime of the game.
Mackenzie Dern within the UFC
Mackenzie Dern’s transition to MMA had loads of “BJJ phenom” hype, and the numbers have (largely) delivered. Making her UFC debut in 2018, Dern was a recognized finisher – with most of her wins coming by way of submission, typically earlier than her opponent found out the foundations of engagement, Her story wasn’t all slick armbars and clean transitions: she missed weight greater than as soon as early within the UFC, incomes some cheeky headlines and forfeiting slices of her purse, however hardly ever her nerve. She pressed on choosing up wins and mastered the burden reduce.
Within the UFC, she boasts the second-most wins in UFC girls’s strawweight division historical past. Her most up-to-date scrap noticed her actual revenge on Amanda Ribas at UFC Struggle Night time 249, catching a late armbar in a tactical, ground-heavy foremost occasion. Not solely did this push Dern’s UFC win streak to 2 and her submission complete to double digits, it avenged her earlier determination loss to Ribas in 2019 – all the time a candy sort of paperwork.
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(@mackenziedern)“I’m drawn in direction of MMA coaching now that I’m making the transition to preventing, however BJJ will all the time be my old flame. BJJ has given me every part I’ve in life and I attempt to symbolize the game to the most effective of my capacity.”
It’s uncommon for an athlete to be a world champion at each BJJ belt, then leap into MMA and break data. Whether or not it’s the household tree, the {hardware}, or her mat-smothering model, Mackenzie Dern stays a must-watch in each Jiu Jitsu and MMA.
