After Zhang Weili vacated her strawweight title to chase gold in the flyweight division, Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace-turned-MMA star Mackenzie Dern saw her moment to shine. And she seized it. Last Saturday night at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi, the 32-year-old defeated Virna Jandiroba for the second time in a grueling five-round battle to become the new UFC strawweight champion. But the victory brought more than just the belt for Dern.

In an emotional post-fight moment, the newly crowned champion celebrated inside the Octagon with her daughter, Moa. Failing to fight back tears, Dern handed her the belt to her daughter, creating one of the night’s most touching scenes during her in-ring interview with Daniel Cormier. Later, she joined Dan Hellie, McKenzie Pavacich, and Michael Bisping on About Last Fight, where Bisping couldn’t resist directing a heartwarming question to young Moa.

Mackenzie Dern reveals what her daughter told her friends

Speaking about her future in the division and a potential showdown with Zhang Weili, the former middleweight champion asked Dern’s daughter how it felt to see her mother become a world champion. Moa didn’t hesitate — her one-word reply perfectly captured the emotion of the night. “Great,” she said, sparking laughter across the room. Moments later, Mackenzie Dern shared a sweet story about her daughter and her playful pride.

“She goes to the playground and she was at the hotel and she was telling the kids like, ‘You know my mum’s a UFC fighter?’” Dern recalled with a smile. Bisping quickly jumped in to correct Moa, reminding her of her mother’s upgraded status. “You know [your] mum’s a UFC champion. It’s a big difference,” Bisping said during the interview. Reflecting on the touching exchange, commentator Dan Hellie added, “That was such a cool moment in the Octagon to see that.”

Moa Santos Dern, born on June 9, 2019, is Dern’s daughter from her previous relationship with professional surfer Wesley Santos. The pair finalized their divorce in 2022, with joint custody arrangements. Now, with Dern standing tall as the new strawweight champion, she’s already made it clear who she hopes to face inside the Octagon next.

Dern wants to fight this strawweight southpaw

Fresh off her title win at UFC 321, Mackenzie Dern has already made plans for her first title defense. During the post-fight press conference, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist revealed her interest in facing strawweight southpaw Tatiana Suarez next. “I mean, I don’t know how much say I have [in opponents], being a champion now,” Dern said.

“But I am here to defend it. So whoever gets sent to me, I will be ready for it. I would definitely like to just fight Tatiana. I think maybe she gets one more fight in before,” Dern added. Suarez, one of the division’s most dangerous wrestlers, recently bounced back from her title loss to Zhang Weili with a dominant win over Amanda Lemos, who previously defeated Dern.

That being said, only the UFC knows what the future holds for Mackenzie Dern. However, her title win brought out a special moment between her and her daughter. What did you think about Moa’s one-word reflection on her mother’s win?