Mackenzie Dern put the UFC women’s strawweight division on notice earlier today (Sat., Apr. 10, 2021) at UFC Vegas 23 live on ABC/ESPN+, ESPN from inside UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nev., when the Brazilian put an end to No. 5-ranked contender Nina Nunes via first-round submission (armbar).
Nunes looked good having not fought in nearly two years but it didn’t take Dern long to score a takedown. From there, Dern worked to full mount, landed some solid ground-and-pound, and positioned herself to sink in the armbar finish. Nunes didn’t have much time to defend once pressure was applied and had to tap.
Check out the highlights above courtesy of UFC/ESPN.
This win launches Dern up the divisional ladder and puts her in the mix for title contention later into 2021. Dern has won her last four trips to the Octagon and continues to improve her game on the feet, while leaning on her world-class submission skills when it matters most.
For complete UFC Vegas 23 results and coverage click here.