Mackenzie Dern wanted to make some changes in training after losing her first MMA fight, and that included getting punched in the face more often in the gym.
Dern is a multiple-time jiu-jitsu champion who built a 5-0 record in less than two years before joining the UFC in 2018, adding Ashley Yoder and Amanda Cooper to her list of victims in the octagon. In her third UFC bout, her perfect record was shattered by Amanda Ribas.
Ready to get back in action on Saturday at UFC on ESPN 9, Dern takes on Hannah Cifers, with lessons learned from her training camp.