Mackenzie Dern (photo via Mackenzie Dern.com)

By FCF Staff

As Mackenzie Dern continues to make inroads into pro-MMA, the jiu-jitsu champ is already fielding questions about Ronda Rousey, and the star’s recent setbacks.

The 23 year-old Dern is a ADCC Gold Medalist and has won numerous medals and championships in other grappling competitions. Last July, Dern made her pro-MMA debut with Legacy FC, and since then she’s gone 2-0.

Recently Dern attended the World MMA Awards, and while speaking to MMA Interviews, the decorated grappler reported this (quote via MMA Mania):

“I have a ton of people sending me messages to not fall into the same situation as Ronda, they compare a lot to Ronda that she tried to be a striker when she’s a ground person. But I think that jiu jitsu is a lot more evolved than judo. Not that it’s worse or better, but it’s not just armbars. You defend the choke, we go to armbar. You defend the armbar, we go to omoplata, and it just keeps going and going. So a lot of people respect that, my jiu jitsu, but I’m excited that I always come back and rely on my jiu jitsu.”

Dern was also asked for how things might unfold, if she was to roll with Rousey. The BJJ black belt said it would be a “fun roll”, but when pressed how many times she might tap Rousey in a 10 minute session, Dern said “maybe two, three times”.

The rising fighter is scheduled to face Katherine Roy at LFA 6 on March 10th.