UFC star Mackenzie Dern displayed an outstanding performance in her recent bout against Angela Hill at UFC Vegas 73 on May 20. The talented Brazilian-American showcased her dominance throughout the five-rounds, ultimately securing a unanimous decision victory.
Dern’s triumph over Hill marked her successful return to the win column after her previous loss to Yan Xiaonan. The impressive win also propelled her up the rankings, now sitting at number 7 in the UFC women’s strawweight division.
In a recent podcast appearance alongside former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping and light heavyweight contender Anthony Smith, Dern engaged in a lighthearted conversation covering various topics related to the UFC.
During the discussion, Dern amusingly recounted a past incident where she momentarily feared losing her eyesight after being struck by her opponent. She jokingly referenced her coach’s connection to Bisping, speculating that they might share a similar strategy that contributed to both of them facing eye-related concerns.
Recalling the incident, Dern shared, “It was the first punch of the fight, and I tried to slip, but it caught me in my eye, and I lost my vision for 45 seconds. You know, it’s blurry, and I was thinking like, ‘man, I’m like Bisping, we have the same coach, like it’s because of our striking,’ you know.” The light-hearted comment sparked laughter among the podcast participants.
Interestingly, both Dern and Bisping trained at the RVCA Training Center, with both benefiting from the guidance of coach Jason Parillo. Bisping, who retired in 2017, faced Vitor Belfort in 2013, enduring a technical knockout loss after being struck by Belfort’s kick in the second round. Bisping later revealed that the kick caused significant damage to his right eye, resulting in a retinal detachment and the subsequent loss of vision in that eye.
While Dern playfully connected her experience to Bisping’s eye injury, it’s important to note that her situation was temporary and did not result in any long-term consequences.
The camaraderie among stars and their shared training environment often leads to light-hearted banter, with Dern’s comment highlighting the bond between her and Bisping through their mutual coach.
