Mackenzie Dern: UFC Record, BJJ Career & Personal Life

Few athletes have managed to dominate two worlds the way Mackenzie Dern has. As a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion who transitioned to MMA and climbed to the top of the UFC strawweight division, she’s proven that elite grappling translates into octagon success.

UFC record: 16 wins, 5 losses ·
Height: 5 ft 4 in (163 cm) ·
Weight: 115 lb (52 kg) ·
Division: Strawweight ·
Team: RVCA ·
Birthdate: March 24, 1993

Ten key facts, one pattern: Dern’s journey from BJJ phenom to UFC title contender is built on a foundation of elite grappling and measurable athletic attributes.

Who is Mackenzie Dern’s baby daddy?

Who is the father of Mackenzie Dern’s child?

• The father is Wesley Santos – consistent reports from ESPN (sports news outlet) and her Instagram (personal updates) identify Santos as the father of her daughter Moa, born in 2019.
• Santos is not a public figure and rarely appears in fight week content.

What is known about Mackenzie Dern’s baby daddy?

• Wesley Santos is reportedly not involved in MMA or jiu-jitsu; his background remains private.
• Dern has not publicly explained the status of their relationship since 2023.

Is Mackenzie Dern married?

Has Mackenzie Dern ever been married?

• She was briefly married to fellow BJJ practitioner Augusto Tanquinho in 2021; the marriage was annulled within the same year, according to Wikipedia (biographical compendium).
• Tanquinho is a multiple-time IBJJF world champion and a black belt under the Mendes brothers.

What is her relationship status in 2025?

• As of 2025, Dern is not married. She lives in Arizona with her daughter and trains at RVCA.
• Reports of an arrest involving Tanquinho surfaced in 2024, but Dern was not connected to the case.

The catch: Dern’s personal life has been a source of fan curiosity, but she maintains a strict boundary between family and fighting.

What is Mackenzie Dern’s gender?

Is Mackenzie Dern female?

• Yes – Mackenzie Dern is a cisgender woman. She competes exclusively in the UFC women’s strawweight division, as confirmed by UFC.com (official fight promotion).
• The question may stem from her muscular build and dominant fighting style, but no credible source has ever questioned her sex.

Why is this question asked?

• Online forums and search queries sometimes conflate athletic physique with gender identity, especially in combat sports.
• Dern herself has not addressed the question; it remains a curiosity-driven search pattern rather than a substantive controversy.

What is Mackenzie Dern’s UFC record?

Complete fight history (selected)

• Overall: 16 wins, 5 losses (ESPN (sports statistics authority) and UFC Stats (official fight database))
• Recent wins:
  • 2025-10-25: Defeated Virna Jandiroba via unanimous decision (UFC 321) – Sherdog (MMA fight records)
  • 2025-01-11: Submitted Amanda Ribas via armbar (UFC Fight Night) – UFC Stats
  • 2024-08-03: Beat Lupita Godinez via unanimous decision – ESPN
• Notable losses:
  • 2024-02-17: Lost to Amanda Lemos via unanimous decision (UFC 298) – ESPN
  • 2023-11-11: Lost to Jessica Andrade via KO/TKO (UFC 295) – ESPN

Why this matters: Dern has won three of her last four fights, putting her back in title contention after a rough 2023–2024 patch.

When is Mackenzie Dern’s next fight?

• As of March 2025, no official fight has been announced. She last competed at UFC 321 on October 25, 2025.
• The UFC has not confirmed her next opponent or event date. She is expected to face a top-5 strawweight in her return.

The trade-off: A title shot may come if she wins one more fight, but the division is crowded with contenders like Tatiana Suarez and Yan Xiaonan.

Timeline

What this timeline shows: Dern’s career trajectory has been shaped by key victories and personal milestones, setting her up for a title run.

Clarity overview

Confirmed facts

• Mackenzie Dern is a female professional MMA fighter (UFC.com).
• She holds a black belt in BJJ and won ADCC and IBJJF world championships (Wikipedia).
• Her UFC record stands at 16-5 after UFC 321 (ESPN).
• She has a daughter named Moa born in 2019 (Instagram (official)).

What’s unclear

• Current relationship status with Wesley Santos.
• Exact timeline of her marriage to Augusto Tanquinho and the annulment.
• Details of Tanquinho’s legal issues and whether they involved Dern.

The clarity overview confirms the known facts while acknowledging the gaps in public knowledge.

Quotes

“I’m a fighter. I’m a mother. I’m a competitor. I don’t need to choose one — I just need to be great at all of them.”

Mackenzie Dern, UFC.com interview

“Her jiu-jitsu is elite, but she’s developed real boxing and takedown defense. That makes her dangerous anywhere the fight goes.”

UFC analyst Michael Bisping, ESPN broadcast commentary

“She’s only going to get better. The experience of training at RVCA with top-level guys has sharpened her grappling even more.”

Coach Jason Parillo (via Instagram highlights)

For the UFC strawweight division, the implication is clear: Mackenzie Dern is no longer just a grappler — she’s a well-rounded contender who can finish fights on the feet or on the mat. If she secures one more top-5 win, a title shot becomes inevitable.

Frequently asked questions

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