Mackenzie Lynne Dern Santos, born on March 24, 1993, is a talented American and Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. In her career, she has achieved remarkable success, holding the former world’s No. 1 rank in the IBJJF (International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation) and currently standing at the 6th position among female divisions. Her prowess in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is evident as she holds titles as an ADCC (Abu Dhabi Combat Club) and no-gi BJJ (black belt) World Champion.
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As of May 23, 2023, Mackenzie Dern is ranked #7 in the UFC women’s strawweight rankings, solidifying her position as a prominent figure in the world of mixed martial arts.
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Profile Summary
| Birth Place | Phoenix, Arizona |
| Father’s Name | Wellington Dias |
| Mother’s Name | Luciana Tavares (Step Mother) |
| Star Sign | Aries |
| Net Worth (2023) | $1 million(estimated) |
| Last Fight Earnings | Undisclosed |
| Age | 30 |
| Date of Birth | March 24, 1993 |
| Education | To be updated |
| Nationality | American |
| MMA Debut | July 22, 2016 |
| MMA Record | 12-3 |
| Divisions | Women’s Strawweight/Flyweight |
| Achievements | Number 4 ranked women’s strawweight |
| Partner | Wesley Santos |
| Children | Moa |
| Endorsements | Bet Motion Brazil |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
Mackenzie Dern Biography
Mackenzie Dern, born on March 24, 1993, in Arizona, has a fascinating background shaped by her father, Wellington “Megaton” Dias, who is a grappling competitor. Growing up, she had the unique experience of frequently traveling between Arizona and her father’s homeland, Brazil. As a result, Mackenzie is fluent in both English and Portuguese. In fact, she considers Portuguese to be her primary language due to her Brazilian roots, with her father and stepmother both being Brazilian.
Mackenzie Dern’s strong connection with Portuguese goes beyond mere fluency. She reveals that everything related to fighting resides in her mind in Portuguese, and even her dreams are in this cherished language. Despite this, she continues to communicate in English as well, showcasing her bilingual abilities.
Mackenzie Dern’s Personal Life
Mackenzie Dern was previously married to Wesley Santos, who is a professional surfer. In February 2019, she announced that she was putting her MMA career on hold because of her pregnancy. On June 9, 2019, Mackenzie and Wesley welcomed their daughter, Moa, into the world.
Unfortunately, their marriage ended in divorce in 2022. During the divorce process, Mackenzie made open accusations against Santos, alleging him of physical assault. The situation brought significant attention to the matter and raised important discussions about domestic violence.
MMA’s Career
Dern’s mixed martial arts debut was set to be at Legacy FC 58, where she faced Kenia Rosas. She secured a victory in her debut with a unanimous decision. Following that, at Legacy FC 61, she was scheduled to fight Montana De La Rosa at Strawweight. However, the fight was later changed to catchweight when Dern missed weight by 2.8 pounds. Nevertheless, she triumphed in the contest with a first-round submission.
Moving forward, Dern was slated to compete against Katherine Roy at LFA 6. Unfortunately, for the second consecutive time, she missed weight by four pounds, resulting in a 20% allowance forfeiture. Nevertheless, she emerged victorious with a unanimous decision. Subsequently, for her fourth professional fight, she stepped up to flyweight for a matchup at LFA 24 against Mandy Polk. Dern showcased her skills and won the bout with a rear-naked choke in the first round. After impressively achieving a 4-0 record in her initial professional bouts, Dern signed with Invicta Fighting Championship in November 2017.
UFC’s Career
Dern entered the UFC on March 3, 2018, making her promotional debut at UFC 222 against Ashley Yoder. The bout was closely contested and decided by a split decision. Later, on May 12, 2018, at UFC 224, Dern faced Amanda Cooper. However, she weighed in at 123 pounds, seven pounds over the strawweight non-title fight limit of 116 pounds. Consequently, the fight proceeded at catchweight, and Dern received a 30 percent purse deduction. Despite the weight issue, she secured victory with a first-round submission via rear-naked choke.
After maternity leave, Dern returned to the Octagon to fight Amanda Ribas at UFC on ESPN+ 19 on October 12, 2019. Unfortunately, she faced defeat in this bout via unanimous decision. Later, she was expected to compete against Ariane Carnelossi at UFC Fight Night 173 on April 25, 2020, but due to travel restrictions, Carnelossi had to withdraw from the fight.
Instead, on April 25, 2020, Dern was scheduled to face Hannah Cifers, but the event was delayed and took place on May 30, 2020, at UFC on ESPN: Woodley vs. Burns. In this fight, Dern secured an impressive victory with a kneebar in the first round, becoming the first woman in UFC history to finish a fight with a leg hold. Her remarkable performance earned her the Performance of the Night award for the first time.
Mackenzie Dern’s Net worth
Mackenzie Dern’s net worth is estimated to be around $1 million, a result of her successful careers in both the UFC and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). Before entering the UFC, she had a remarkable BJJ career, participating in over 100 professional grappling contests, achieving an impressive record of 75 wins, 25 losses, and 1 draw.
In the UFC, Dern had her most lucrative payday during her recent victory over Nina Nunes at UFC Fight Night: Vettori vs Holland. Her first-round submission win earned her a substantial sum of $164,000.
For her debut fight in the UFC against Ashley Yoder at UFC 222 in March 2018, Dern earned $53,500. The match resulted in a win for Dern via split decision, marking the beginning of her successful journey in the UFC.
