UFC strawweight contender Mackenzie Dern has expressed interest in competing in UFC’s upcoming Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu events, but with one important caveat – the compensation needs to be right. During a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Dern made her position clear when asked about potential participation in UFC BJJ competitions.
“I don’t know if they pay me enough,”
Dern stated candidly.
“I want I definitely would like that to be my contract, you know, just to keep me.”
The former world champion grappler sees these potential BJJ events as more than just competition opportunities – they represent a way to maintain her elite-level jiu-jitsu skills while pursuing her MMA career.
Dern’s pragmatic approach to the UFC BJJ opportunity stems from her understanding of where her grappling game currently stands.
“I just trained jiu-jitsu now in San Diego with Andre (Galvao). So, for my upcoming bout against Virna (Jandiroba), who’s a grappler, too, you know. So, definitely my jiu-jitsu against, you know, the girls that are 100% jiu-jitsu compet, it’s like a little bit rusty, you know.”
The timing of these potential UFC BJJ events couldn’t be more relevant for Dern, who is preparing for her first UFC title shot against Virna Jandiroba at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi on October 25th. Having transitioned from being one of the world’s most dominant grapplers to a mixed martial artist nearly a decade ago, Dern recognizes the value of keeping her jiu-jitsu skills sharp.
“I would definitely like to have those events at UFC jiu-jitsu be able to like just keep me on point, you know, keep me at least not rusty with my jiu-jitsu,”
she explained. This perspective highlights the challenge many high-level grapplers face when transitioning to MMA – maintaining their foundational skills while developing striking, wrestling and other aspects of mixed martial arts.
The UFC’s entry into the jiu-jitsu promotion space has generated significant buzz in the grappling community, particularly with ongoing tensions and competition between various organizations. Dern views this development positively for the sport overall, noting that
“any type of like competition or marketing or any way that people try things”
benefits jiu-jitsu’s growth.
Her approach to potential UFC BJJ participation reflects the business-minded thinking that successful athletes must develop. Having already established herself as a legitimate UFC contender with eight career submission victories – the most in UFC women’s strawweight history – Dern understands her market value both in MMA and pure grappling contexts.
The Brazilian-American MMA star’s jiu-jitsu credentials are undeniable. With 20 major gold medals from grappling competitions, including ADCC worlds, she brings legitimate star power to any grappling event. Her willingness to compete in UFC BJJ, contingent on appropriate compensation, suggests she sees value in maintaining connections to her jiu-jitsu roots while pursuing championship gold in MMA.
