Mackenzie Dern is known for her world-class Brazilian jiu-jitsu, but as she prepares for her upcoming bout against Virna Jandiroba for the vacant UFC strawweight title, she’s confronting a weakness that has long haunted her MMA career – her tendency to willingly accept takedowns.

In a candid interview with Full Send MMA, the submission ace acknowledged that her comfort on the ground has at times worked against her in mixed martial arts:

I’ve always kind of had this problem where I accept the takedown sometimes.

Even my coach is like: “Let’s not stay on the bottom.”

You know, even though I’m super comfortable on it.

For someone with Dern’s pedigree — a multiple-time BJJ world champion — working off her back has always felt like home.

But as she explained, that confidence can backfire in MMA, where top control and striking from dominant positions carry far more weight with judges:

Sometimes you could meet a really strong person, you know, someone strong and just have good pressure, and you can’t move, and then there’s a round that you kind of gave away for accepting the takedown.

Facing Jandiroba – herself a skilled grappler – Dern plans to control the fight’s tempo rather than react to it:

I think just staying calm and patient, you know.

Of course, I’m going to be pressuring the whole time because I feel like to be a champion, you need to at least show that you want to pressure this fight.

Dern has studied her opponent carefully, emphasizing the importance of anticipation and timing:

You can kind of see her takedowns coming in.
She doesn’t throw too much on the punches.

So, you know, I feel like just staying ahead by seeing everything.

If I can see it, I think I can stuff it.

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