A UFC title challenger displayed why they are one of the most dangerous fighters in one area on this day five years ago.
The Octagon has been home to some decorated grapplers ever since the UFC first started to bring mixed martial arts to the masses.
Jiu-jitsu may not be the most dominant skillset in the sport, but that doesn’t mean we haven’t seen some fighters that are able to use this part of their game to devastating effect.
The promotion’s roster currently features several notable female competitors that do their best work when the fight hits the floor.
While Gillian Robertson may lead the way with most submission wins of any woman, the fighter in second place proved why she is an elite specialist on September 19 of 2020.
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Mackenzie Dern admitted she was ‘so surprised’ by Randa Markos following her to the floor before submission win
On the same night that Colby Covington defeated Tyron Woodley in their long-awaited clash, four bonuses were given out to the most impressive performances at the Apex in Las Vegas.
Khamzat Chimaev’s flawless performance against Gerald Meerschaert earned him an additional check, as did Mackenzie Dern’s fifth Octagon appearance.
The former ADCC world champion had already showcased her elite submission skills in a bounce back win after suffering her first loss.
Canada’s Randa Markos stood in the way of her producing back-to-back wins, only to get caught in an armbar in the first round.
The most surprising aspect of the fight was that after Dern slipped just 15 seconds into the fight, her opponent chose to follow her to the ground, which the commentary team immediately highlighted as a potential mistake.
Dern admitted in her post-fight press conference that she was caught off guard by Markos’ decision having immediately threatened with submissions off of her back before taking top position and securing the finish.
“No for sure, I thought it was amazing but I was shocked. I definitely think that most of the people would be like, ‘Hey stand up’ and have space… I was so surprised, especially when she kind of came into my guard and I almost had the triangle. It wasn’t so tight but it was a triangle and I didn’t see her really stand up or try to defend.”
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Mackenzie Dern will put her skillset to the test in the biggest fight of her career
While Mackenzie Dern was happy that Randa Markos followed her to the mat, she admitted that she was slightly embarrassed by slipping over after throwing a head kick.
We’ve seen her overall game improve over time which has led her to the biggest fight of her career.
At UFC 321, she will face Virna Jandiroba for the vacant strawweight title in a rematch of their 2020 bout that Dern won via a unanimous decision.
While many will expect Dern to have an advantage in the grappling, here’s how their stats match up.
| Stats | Mackenzie Dern | Virna Jandiroba |
| Career submission wins | 8 | 14 |
| Takedown average (landed per 15 minutes) | 0.89 | 2.37 |
| Takedown accuracy | 17% | 33% |
| Takedown defense (% of opponent’s takedown attempts that didn’t land) | 25% | 73% |
| Average submissions attempted per 15 minutes | 1.2 | 1.8 |
The stats alone suggest that Jandiroba won’t be afraid to grapple with her opponent, meaning Dern might need to showcase everything she has learned to leave Abu Dhabi with the gold.