UFC fighter Mackenzie Dern is showing off the incredibly strong physique that makes her a force to be reckoned with in the cage. Dern, 31, shared a video of herself wearing black two-piece UFC fighting gear, posing for the cameras before the big event. “Face off done! Tomorrow is going to be a great night! Don’t miss @ufc #ufcabudhabi 🌟🍿,” she captioned the post. Dern is a fighter, a mother, and a former number 1 ranked IBJJF competitor—here’s how she stays fit, strong and happy.
1. Fighting Mom
[instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/CtMfEeIRaQs/Dern says fighting as a new mom taught her to be even tougher than she already was. “Balancing being a new mom and being in fight camp for a fight is such a crazy experience,” she previously told PEOPLE. “The love that I have for my daughter is definitely helping me so much during my camp. Everything else is easy after being a mom!” expand=1 site_id=26817431]
2. Switching Up Training
Dern switches up her training to stay sharp and ready. “One of the things I had to change were the Muay Thai training sessions — a session of just kicks and punches to get my striking sharp,” she told Gracie Mag. “I also started doing an extra session of cardio, even to keep my weight below what I kept it at in BJJ. And the stamina to fight in there for 15, 25 minutes is a little different. There’s no way to rest during battle — only on the stool during breaks.”
3. Support From Dad
Dern’s father encouraged her to start fighting when she was younger. “My father has been heavily involved in my jiu-jitsu career since I began my training at the age of three,” she told Zebra Athletics. “He has taught me almost everything I need to know about how to train and live like an athlete. Once I turned 13 years old, he took me to do everything with him. We would wake up early to workout and hit the mats. He would also take me to seminars and training classes to help diversify my skill set and put me up against fighters who could push me beyond my limit.”
4. Prepared For Defeat
Dern is not afraid of losing a fight. “I never fight afraid of losing. Defeat, to me, is a horrible feeling that I try to never feel, and that’s why I train so much,” she told Gracie Mag. “At this UFC event, I had problems with my camp, but not to the point of fearing defeat — if I did fear it, I wouldn’t even go in to fight… I know we can never be 100% certain we’re gonna win, but your spirit has to go in calm, confident in the good result.”
5. Win Some, Lose Some
Dern says she lost 50,000 Instagram followers when she announced her pregnancy. “Obviously, there were people following me who were just thinking, Oh, she’s a hot girl that fights,” she told Women’s Health. “And the assumption is that if you get pregnant, you’re not coming back—or if you do, you’re going to be soft inside. Fans are very important for us, because that’s how we sell our fights. But in the end, I’m glad I lost them. Now I have real fans who appreciate all my phases. I gained those 50,000 followers back—and then some.”
