Mackenzie Dern had a quick, but successful introduction to the flyweight division of the LFA after competing against Mandy Polk on Friday, October 13.
The fight started off aggressively, with both athletes throwing punches and Dern shooting for takedowns (none of which were able to take the fight to the ground). One of Dern’s attempts forced Polk against the cage, and although Dern tried to take her opponent’s back, she was unable to secure the position, and the fighters eventually broke apart.
After a flurry of strikes from both fighters, one of Dern’s punches connected with Polk hard enough to knock her to the ground. The referee almost called the fight, but changed his mind when Polk started to get to her feet. Still, she wasn’t quick enough, and Dern was able to get to her back and finish the fight with a rear naked choke before the end of the first round.
The MMA fight was Dern’s first as a flyweight; she’d previously struggled and failed to make weight in the 115-lb division. But moving up a weight class didn’t affect her ability to fight, and she’s now sitting on a 4-0 MMA record.
