How do you handle the pressure of your first career rematch? For Mackenzie Dern, the answer might lie in her furry companion! Set to headline UFC Fight Night 249/ UFC Vegas 101 against Amanda Ribas in a strawweight clash, Dern showed up at the media day with an emotional support dog in tow. However, the 1-and-a-half-year-old Italian Mastiff named ‘Mack’ ended up in the crossfire of a flurry of jabs thrown by the fandom instead.

During the press conference, a reporter couldn’t resist commenting on ‘Mack’s size as he inquired, “…biggest service dog I’ve ever seen. Curious why you felt the need to bring your security with you today?”.

The no. 6 ranked UFC strawweight responded by explaining, “He’s like security, and you know, emotional support. He helps me a lot just being comfortable, I’m kinda trying to stay as calm as I can and I think what I’m most needing in my fights is composure and to kinda just go into the Apex one more time and feel like it’s a training session.”

For Dern, ‘Mack’ is more than just a companion; he’s part of her routine. She further explained that her companion accompanies her to the gym and is always by her side. And so bringing him along for the media day, “it’s kinda the best way to just keep me relaxed and not getting all my nerves up too high.”

When asked if Moe would join her at the Apex on fight night, Dern smiled and cheekily stated “Maybe!”. But this lighthearted exchange set the stage for an entirely different kind of fight—one between Dern and the fans who were quick to throw out shots at the strawweight star! Here’s a look at what the netizens had to say.

Mackenzie Dern’s furry companion comes under fire as fans hold nothing back in their jabs online  

Accent trolling is nothing new for Mackenzie Dern. Fans still recall her first UFC Octagon interview at UFC 222. With a translator rephrasing Joe Rogan’s questions in Portuguese, Dern surprised everyone by answering in fluent English. It wasn’t long before fans began to dissect her fluctuating accent. Some accused her of faking it, while others chalked it up to her bilingual upbringing. Over time, this quirk became a defining aspect of her persona—one fans love to tease.

“I wonder if the dog speaks with American accent or Brazilian accent and if it changes back n forth like Mackenzie?”

Others took a different approach and indicated that this might be the right time to lay out their bets in Dern’s opponent, Amanda Ribas’s favor! The two faced off back in 2019, when Dern was still undefeated in her career but came up short against Ribas in a unanimous decision loss. At the recent media day, Dern confessed, “I feel like I was such a different person back then, I didn’t even feel like it was me…I feel like we’re at totally different phases of our careers. I’ve evolved in striking, in wrestling, in takedowns, and just so much experience.”

“With that being said… put the house on Ribas”

But just like the reporter, some fans were left in awe at Mack’s sheer size! The breed reportedly can get up to 50 kgs in size, and are well known as companion or guard dogs.

“Tank* she brought a tank with her”

Yet, even with Dern’s confidence in her growth since their first fight, some fans claimed that showing up with an emotional support animal before a fight isn’t a good sign. After all, during a recent conversation with MMA Junkie, Ribas warned, “I like to fight at strawweight, I feel strong, I feel confident, and I feel hungry, you know, not just for food but for blood!”

“Ribas bets are now POURING in…”

The critiques didn’t stop at ‘Mack’. Some fans were quick to offer Dern unsolicited advice about the changes she needed to make to her game. Dern recently snapped a 2-fight losing streak with a win over Loopy Goodinez in her last fight and a win here could allow her to maintain that momentum along with settling the score against Ribas!

“YOU NEED STRIKING not fn composure”

While her Italian Mastiff ‘Mack’ has drawn as much attention as her game plan, Mackenzie Dern remains unshaken. Her determination to showcase growth since her first meeting with Amanda Ribas is clear, and for her, composure is the missing piece of the puzzle. Yet, the fandom’s reaction has added a curious twist to the story. From playful jabs about her accent to placing bets on Ribas, fans seem just as invested in the narrative outside the cage. Will Dern’s emotional support companion become her secret weapon, or will Ribas’s hunger for domination prevail? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!