Mackenzie Dern, born March 24, 1993, in Phoenix, Arizona, is a prominent Brazilian-American mixed martial artist and Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) practitioner. She is widely recognized as one of the top female grapplers globally, holding a black belt in BJJ, and has transitioned successfully into professional MMA competition[1][2]. Dern began training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu at the age of three under the guidance of her father, Wellington Dias, a renowned BJJ black belt, and her stepmother, Luciana Tavares, also a black belt. She quickly excelled in the sport, winning world championships at every belt level before earning her black belt before age 20. Early in her career, Dern dominated grappling tournaments and secured victories in prestigious competitions such as the European Open and Copa Podio[1]. She made her MMA debut in 2016 with Legacy Fighting Alliance and later competed in Invicta Fighting Championship, where she won her debut by armbar submission. Since 2018, Dern has been competing in the UFC’s women's strawweight division, fighting under the RVCA team and standing 5'4" tall with a 63-inch reach. She is known for her strong submission skills, with half of her MMA wins coming via submission[2][3][5]. Dern has achieved notable success in the UFC, including winning the vacant women's strawweight title by submitting Amanda Ribas. Her career includes high-profile fights against top contenders such as Jessica Andrade and Claudia Gadelha. She remains an active and relevant figure in women's MMA, frequently competing and maintaining a strong presence in the strawweight rankings as of late 2025[3][4]. Raised between the United States and Brazil, Dern is fluent in Portuguese and often integrates her Brazilian heritage into her fighting style and training. Her background and skills have made her a prominent ambassador of Brazilian jiu-jitsu in MMA[2].