Mackenzie Dern isn't just a UFC champion, she's now officially defended that title as well.
Saturday's UFC 330 co-main event saw Dern earn a one-sided decision win over Gillian Robertson to successfully defend the strawweight belt she won in a vacant title fight by defeating Virna Jandiroba at UFC 321 this past October. That title was vacated by Zhang Weili, who dominated the 115-pound division before moving up a weight class in a failed bid to dethrone flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko.
At the moment, it's unclear whether Zhang is planning to return at 115 or 125 pounds, if at all. So does Dern feel like that matchup has to happen for her to be considered the strawweight division's true champion?
“No,†Dern said at the evening's post-fight press conference. “I felt like the champion before when I won the belt, but I just think I solidified myself even more as the champ for the fans, that they would say that, but I don't think I need to win Weili to be a champ. I mean, people retire, I'm not saying that that's what she's going to do but the more defenses I can get at this, whoever comes next, I think I proved that I was the champ.
“Gillian was on a five-fight win streak, Virna was on a five-fight win streak, I just became a four-fight win streak. I don't know how much more I need to do to prove that.â€
Whenever Dern is booked to defend her title again, Zhang is the most obvious candidate to challenge her. However, other contenders have made strong cases, including Tatiana Suarez, Alexia Thainara, and blue-chip prospect Fatima Kline.
Dern isn't sure who she'll fight next, but she knows when she wants to come back.
“I don't hope for anybody. Whoever the UFC gives to me, I'll be ready,†Dern said, later adding, “Ideally I would like to fight probably March, so maybe in six months if I can get maybe two fights a year, that would be good.â€
The only caveat Dern would put on an otherwise successful evening is that she wasn't able to put Robertson away inside the distance. Dern threatened with a couple of tight chokes and even worked for a leg lock at one point, but Robertson managed to make it to the final buzzer.
Ultimately, Dern is satisfied at having done enough to officially log a UFC title defense and is eager to continue her evolution.
“Honestly, it feels good, but it could feel even better if I would have got the submission,†Dern said. “I'm somewhat that's always looking for the best performance possible, so I'm happy with my wrestling, I'm happy with I guess the dominance of the fight, but I wanted to submit Gillian, for sure. I still see lots of things that I want to get better just to be able to defend it more and more times, but definitely feel like I solidified myself as the champ.â€
Pros react to Joshua Van defeating Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 331: “Horrible judgingâ€
diegolopesmma on Instagram
UFC lightweight newcomer Diego Lopes has spoken about the logistics of his move up to face Charles Oliveira for the BMF title.
In the main event of UFC 335, Charles Oliveira will defend the BMF title against Diego Lopes. We all know Lopes to be an entertaining fighter to watch in the cage but after twice failing to take the featherweight belt from Alexander Volkanovski, he's ready for a new challenge.
RELATED: Diego Lopes expecting a war against Charles Oliveira at UFC 335: ‘Let's see who goes down first'
Charles Oliveira, of course, is a seasoned lightweight veteran, a former champion, and someone who will be looking to take advantage of any rust Diego Lopes may have in this new weight class.
In a recent interview, though, Diego Lopes discussed how he plans to adapt to his new surroundings.
Diego Lopes discusses his lightweight switch
“Height-wise, I don't feel bad,†Lopes told Hablemos MMA in Spanish. “I think I'm one of the tallest fighters in the division. I think out of all the top-five fighters, I'm the same height or taller. I think Pimblett is the only one bigger than me height-wise and weight-wise, but I still need to adapt, and I don't think it will be a problem.â€
“I'll give you an interesting stat: my nutritionist and I did an evaluation of how much the top lightweights were bouncing back in weight the day of the fight,†Lopes said. “My decision to move up to 155 was not just, ‘I'm moving up. That's it.' No. So from the champion to the top five, they bounce up around 180 to 172 pounds. That's normally what they're bouncing to. I've been adapting my weight for 155 for some time now.
“In my last fight, and this you'll find interesting: for my last fight, on fight day, I weighed in at 175. So if you think about it, I'm already about average. Obviously, that was in the morning, and I was swollen, and after going to the bathroom and training, I was at 170, 171. So it wasn't too bad, and keep in mind I made a camp for 145 pounds. Now, imagine at 155, I think I'll be good.â€
“We'll see what happens,†Lopes said. “I want to see how my body responds at 155. I want to see how I adapt at 155. This is the first time I'm doing a camp for 155. I'm heavier, and I'm just doing more. I've never lifted weights in my life, and now I'm lifting weights twice a week. I'm also taking supplements; I'm taking creatine, and I'm heavier. So let's see how my body responds. I think Charles is the perfect test to see if I belong at 155.â€
Quotes via MMA Junkie
Do you expect Lopes to do well at 155 pounds? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, BJPENN Nation!
Raoni
Barcelos says medical testing has yet to determine why he lost
consciousness during his
Ultimate Fighting Championship headliner against Raul Rosas
Jr.
Barcelos faced Rosas Jr. in the main event of
UFC Vegas 121 last month. The Brazilian led on the judges'
scorecards entering the fifth round but lost consciousness during a
grappling exchange against the fence. Rosas Jr. was awarded a
technical knockout victory, and the 39-year-old Barcelos was
transported to a Level 1 trauma center.
Raoni Barcelos undergoes medical tests after losing
consciousness against Raul Rosas Jr. at UFC Vegas 121
Barcelos said he is undergoing tests in Las Vegas to determine what
happened. He hopes to continue fighting but has not ruled out
retirement.
“Unfortunately, we don't know what happened,†Barcelos told MMA
Fighting. “It was a sudden illness. I fell ill and I felt my whole
body really starting to go numb. After that, I don't remember
anything. I only remember [arriving] in the ambulance, asking my
father what happened, and him trying to explain it as best as he
could. It really was an unfortunate [circumstance]. I got sick and
to this day we still don't understand. I'm undergoing a battery of
tests here in [Las] Vegas. I had another on Monday and we're
waiting for a good result. The doctor hasn't released the results
yet and everything is being kept confidential. But I feel better
every day.â€
Barcelos (22-6) entered the bout on a five-fight winning streak. He
has competed in the UFC since 2018, compiling an 11-5 promotional
record with victories over Said
Nurmagomedov, Cody
Garbrandt and Payton
Talbott.
Raoni
Barcelos is still waiting for a diagnosis after his mysterious
health scare: “We don't know what happened. It was a sudden
illness. I fell ill, and I felt my whole body really starting to go
numb. After that, I don't remember anything.” (🎥 @guicruzzz)
https://t.co/dVJzTkkBkl
MMA Fighting has Brand Risk 16 results for the West vs. Beasley fight card and more from the Brand Risk Warehouse in Miami, Fla., on Friday night.
In the most notable fight, NBA veterans Delonte West and Michael Beasley clash in a heavyweight boxing fight.
Deshae Frost and YK Osiris is the new main event after Wendy Ortiz failed to clear medicals for the Florida State Athletic Commission to postpone her clash against Yera, according to a statement by Brand Risk.
The fight between King Azoulay and Supa Hot Fire was not approved by the commission as well.