With her first UFC title shot just days away, Mackenzie Dern finds herself at the center of an unexpected controversy—not for her combat skills, but for her pre-match beauty routine.
The 32-year-old American-Brazilian fighter is set to face Virna Jandiroba at UFC 321 in a highly anticipated rematch that will crown a new strawweight champion following Zhang Weili’s decision to vacate the belt.
However, recent footage from the UFC 321 Embedded series showing Dern getting her nails done has sparked a heated debate among MMA fans about whether she’s taking her opponent seriously enough.
This marks the second meeting between these two competitors, with Dern having secured a decision victory over Jandiroba back in December 2020 at UFC 256. Now, five years later, the stakes couldn’t be higher as both women compete for their first championship gold.
At the UFC 321 media day, Dern expressed confidence about the upcoming bout. “I mean, I’m super excited. Everything happened with Weili vacating and Virna being the number one contender. I think that win over Virna five years ago, that obviously I wasn’t training to fight for the belt back then. I was just trying to grow the ranks and getting into my own. Learn the whole sport. But that set me up to fight for the title now,” she stated.
The Arizona native acknowledged that both fighters have evolved considerably since their first encounter, but believes her previous victory gives her a psychological advantage. “And to feel like we made it here, and then this is a great match-up for us. It’s someone that I beat before. Obviously, it could go any way, and it definitely gives you like, you know — it’s possible,” Dern continued.
Despite her focused statements during media obligations, the Embedded series has raised eyebrows among fans who question whether Dern is fully committed to her preparation. The nail salon visit became a flashpoint for criticism on social media, with some suggesting she’s underestimating her opponent.
The reaction online has been decidedly mixed. Several fans expressed doubts about Dern’s chances regardless of her preparation, with one user commenting, “I don’t see Dern winning anyway.”
Another pointed to Jandiroba’s current form, noting, “Jandiroba was already a lock before this.” The Brazilian challenger enters the bout on an impressive five-fight winning streak, while Dern has gone 3-2 in her last five outings.
However, not everyone sees Dern’s manicure appointment as cause for alarm. Some fans rushed to her defense, pointing out that elite athletes don’t spend every waking moment in the gym. “You think fighters train 12 hours a day or something? They get 2-4 workouts in during camp and that’s it,” one supporter wrote.
The debate recalls similar controversies involving other high-profile fighters who pursued leisure activities ahead of major bouts. One fan drew parallels to recent criticism of Alex Pereira before UFC 320, writing, “Remember these morons saying the same thing before Chama man beat Ank? He went to a haunted house and made a YouTube video that meant he was going to get killed.”
That comparison serves as a reminder that fighters like Max Holloway and Paddy Pimblett have famously maintained hobbies and downtime during fight camps without compromising their performance.
