Mackenzie Dern made her debut tonight in the UFC, and she snagged herself a “W”, bumping her undefeated streak up to 6-0.
Dern took on Ashley Yoder in the final match of the UFC 222 prelims.
The two started off with a touch of the gloves and they were throwing fists from the get-go. Both women swung for the fences in the first 30 seconds of the fight. Dern slowed things down with a clinch, pressing Yoder up against the cage. Mackenzie peppered her opponent with knees and takedown attempts, but the she couldn’t get Yoder down.
BIG left by @AshleyYoderMMA drops Dern!#UFC222 pic.twitter.com/2VzvcD8hRr
— UFC (@ufc) March 4, 2018
The two broke up and took the fight to the center of the octagon again. Ashley landed a nice kick to the body, but Mackenzie threw some hammers and clinched Yoder again. However, once again, Yoder got away without being taken down.
Dern charged in with punches, keeping her chin up high and throwing wild fists but not landing much.
For the third time, the fight went to the clinch. This time, Dern changed levels and took Yoder down. Ashley got back up, but Dern took the back. Still, Yoder escaped.
Yoder threw an inside leg kick that almost took Dern off of her feet. Mackenzie continued with the wild punches, stalking her opponent around the cage. Ashley threw some punches of her own before the round ended.
Ashley hit a nice one two in the opening of the second round. Mackenzie hit a big right hand and took the fight to the cage again, pressing Yoder up against the fence. Ashley, however, turned the tables on her and pressed Dern on the fence. The referee broke things up and put the two back in the center.
Yoder hit an inside leg kick and then tagged Dern, sending her to the ground. Mackenzie got right back up, though.
Ashley hit a body kick and then tagged Dern again with a left. Mackenzie played it safe here, keeping her hands up and throwing some fakes, but avoiding the wild punches she threw in the first round. Ten seconds in, Dern went for a double leg, but couldn’t land anything before the round ended.
The two touched gloves for the third and final round. Dern landed a big right and pressed Yoder on the fence. Ashley, however, turned the tables on her and landed some huge strikes. Yoder pressed Dern on the fence, but Dern turned her and pressed her on the fence. Mackenzie went for a takedown, but Ashley used a cross face to counter her.
The two moved away from the cage. Dern hit a nice inside leg kick and one for the body. Mackenzie changed levels and got the takedown. Finally, Dern’s BJJ came into play and she took the back, pounding away at Yoder and then fighting for a choke. She snaked her left arm around her chin and went for a rear naked choke. Yoder fought it off, but Dern pounded away on her from behind as the match drew to a close.
Getting the back was precisely what Dern needed, and it allowed her to make her UFC debut a victorious one.
Winner by split decision: Mackenzie Dern!
