Mackenzie Dern: Title Reign Solidified Without Zhang Weili Bout
Following her successful strawweight title defense at UFC 330, Mackenzie Dern stated that she doesn't believe a fight against Zhang Weili is necessary to validate her championship status.
Dern secured a unanimous decision victory over Gillian Robertson at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. Throughout the bout, Dern showcased her grappling skills, nearly securing a rear-naked choke in the first round and controlling the fight with takedowns and top position.
This marks Dern's first successful defense of the UFC Women's Strawweight Championship. Some fans have suggested a matchup with former champion Weili Zhang, who previously relinquished the title to pursue a flyweight championship. However, Dern dismissed the idea that she needs to defeat Weili to legitimize her current reign.
During the post-fight press conference, Dern explained her perspective: "I felt like the champion before I won the belt. I just feel like I solidified myself even more as a champ for the fans that they would say that. I don’t think I need to (beat) Weili to be a champ. People retire. I’m not saying that’s what she’s going to do but the more defenses I can get at this, whoever comes next, I think I proved I was the champ. Gillian was on a five-fight winning streak. Virna was a four-fight winning streak. I just became a four-fight winning streak. I don’t know how much more I need to do from that.”
Weili Zhang has not competed since her unsuccessful bid for the women's flyweight title in November 2025. Dern did not explicitly call out Zhang, leaving the decision of her next opponent to the UFC matchmakers. Should Zhang be her next challenger, Dern expressed confidence in her readiness for her second title defense.
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