Mackenzie Dern’s accent has been the subject of a lot of confusion lately. Though her father, BJJ black belt Wellington “Megaton” Dias is Brazilian, Dern was born in Arizona, and she has always spoken with an American accent.
Lately, however, Mackenzie has adopted a thick Brazilian accent. No one is sure why. Even she didn’t directly answer the question when asked.
Things got even stranger when Dern brought in a Portuguese translator during her post-fight interview at UFC 222. Fans and media alike wondered why Dern, a fluent English speaker, needed a translator for a fight that took place in Las Vegas.
This translator just got the easiest paycheck in history.. 😂
Dern speaks fluent Portugese and English.. 🤔😂 pic.twitter.com/0VA3YDaKeO— The MMA Bible (@TheMMABible) March 4, 2018
During a post fight press conference, Mackenzie explained the translator’s presence:
“I wanted to speak Portuguese for my fans in Brazil,” Mackenzie Dern told reporters. “You know, I always say I have more fans in Brazil than I do in the USA. I was even going to say Portuguese, but then a I thought, like, I don’t know if I say English first or Portuguese first. So, I was going to speak Portuguese or English, I didn’t know which one to say first, and then I think after they saw that I was speaking English and he [the translator] didn’t translate back to Portuguese, then I think they said, ‘Okay, it’s better just English.'”
Of course, this explanation brings up another question: why is she saying “say English” rather than “speak English”?
Maybe Dern’s thicker Brazilian accent is a way for her to impress her fans in Brazil.
You can listen to Mackenzie Dern’s full explanation below:
Mackenzie Dern explains the confusion of having a translator during her post-fight interview #UFC222 pic.twitter.com/e1ZZQCGiVR
— Mike Bohn (@MikeBohnMMA) March 4, 2018
