Mackenzie Dern Doesn’t Hesitate to Expose Ex-Husband for Blocking Daughter From Attending Abu Dhabi Title Fight

When Mackenzie Dern steps into the Octagon on October 25 at UFC 321, she won’t just be fighting Virna Jandiroba for the vacant strawweight belt; she will also be wrestling with something far more personal. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist has always been accompanied by her daughter, Moa, on her journey, from training sessions to fight nights. However, despite the significance of the occasion, the six-year-old may not be allowed a seat at cageside this time around.

Dern and her ex-husband, professional surfer Wesley Santos, divorced in 2022 after a rocky split. While the two share custody of Moa, disagreements about parenting decisions remain, and they appear to be spilling over into her fight week. What makes the situation especially difficult for Dern is that Moa has been a continuous presence in her career.

Her little cheerleader is often seen by her side, whether it be during fight weeks in Vegas or summer trips overseas. So, the thought of celebrating her first UFC title shot without her daughter surely cuts deep. So, why is Moa going to miss this big title fight in Abu Dhabi? Speaking with Ariel Helwani, Mackenzie Dern explained the source of the conflict.

She said on The Ariel Helwani Show, “I don’t know. I got to see if her dad will let me take her right now. He’s saying he doesn’t want to let me take her, but we’ll see. We’ll try and figure that out.” For Santos, the problem lies in fairness. As Dern put it, “He just doesn’t want me to take her because he says I don’t let him take her to all the surf competitions.”

Dern said that the issue is not about denying opportunity but about balance and responsibility. “I’m like, but she can’t miss school. There’s still school. But anyway, it’s just, I mean, it’s a title fight, you know.” She also stated that Moa has always made appearances for shorter visits, such as weekend fights in Vegas, but Abu Dhabi is more complex.

“She was there at my last fight in Abu Dhabi for two weeks, but that was during summer vacation. This time…it just feels like he’s being difficult, you know how it is.” Mackenzie Dern‘s frustration stems from the fact that this is the type of moment a fighter dreams of sharing with their family.

Abu Dhabi will stage the Middle East’s first women’s strawweight title bout, a long-awaited rematch between her and Jandiroba. But beyond the history, beyond the gold, Dern’s greatest wish is simple: that Moa will be there to see her mother reach the pinnacle of her career. In this situation, while many fans will blame Wesley Santos, a portion of the blame may also be attributed to the UFC, as their pleasant surprise left little time for the 32-year-old to plan ahead.

UFC’s booking of the title fight caught Mackenzie Dern by surprise

Balancing motherhood with fight prep was already difficult enough, but the way Dern learned about the title fight added to the chaos. While fans were buzzing over Zhang Weili‘s move and Dana White‘s announcement, Dern confessed she learned about her undisputed title fight in the same way everyone else did: via Instagram.

What she thought was just another contender bout suddenly carried the weight of a world championship. Only weeks before, the UFC proposed an interim title. Then, unexpectedly, it was upgraded out of nowhere. “I texted Tiki, ‘Wait, is it the real belt or the interim belt?'” “He’s like, ‘Oh, it’s a real belt,'” Dern recalled. The shift was met with surprise, confusion, and, eventually, relief as her team scrambled to process what had just happened.

However, Dern found that the unexpected revelation also provided her with perspective. Interim gold would have been significant, but the opportunity to compete for the real crown made every sacrifice, from custody battles to training setbacks, feel like it was leading up to this point.“It definitely puts extra happiness and gratefulness on it,” she said, ready to embrace the whirlwind.