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Single Mother but ‘Primary Earner’ McKenzie Dern Ordered to Pay $4,006 Per Month Plus $10,000 Court Fee to Ex-Husband

Published 05/29/2023, 9:58 AM EDT

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Mackenzie Dern has been facing numerous challenges outside the octagon since last year. However, amidst these struggles, the UFC strawweight fighter recently made headlines for ending her marriage with Wesley Santos and filing for divorce. Despite the turmoil, Dern showcased her resilience by securing a remarkable victory against Angela Hill at UFC Vegas 73 in a hard-fought battle.

During a recent interview with Ariel Helwani at MMA Hour, the 30-year-old fighter bravely opened up about another phase of her legal troubles with her estranged husband. Dern revealed that she had filed a domestic violence order against Santos.

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When asked if physical abuse was the reason for ending her marriage, she responded, “Yeah… I mean, like, family for me was the most important. So, I stayed in my relationship, like, because I believed in the family, and I believe that that’s what God wanted and stuff. But there’s a certain point like, where you try, try and try, and things don’t change, and it just keeps getting worse and worse.”

However, in a statement from Santos, he vehemently denied all accusations made against him, stating that they were not true. To make matters worse, the court’s recent order has not favored Dern, adding to her difficulties.

Things got tough for Mackenzie Dern amidst the divorce battle

Wesley Santos has firmly denied all accusations of abusing Mackenzie Dern. As reported by MMA Fighting, Santos expressed his disappointment that Dern chose to make public statements about their divorce, particularly since it involves the custody of their beautiful daughter, Moa.

In his statement, Santos wrote, “Because we are in the middle of legal proceedings, I cannot comment on anything at this time, except to say that Mackenzie’s statements are false and defamatory.”

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Santos denied the abuse allegations and claimed to be a victim himself, providing video and photo evidence of a bloody nose allegedly caused by Dern’s punch. He also accused Dern of beating their daughter, citing a video she sent to him.

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The court, without favoring either Dern or Santos regarding the abuse allegations, suggested that mutual combat may have occurred. They granted joint custody of their daughter, Moa. However, they instructed Dern, the primary earner, to pay $10,000 towards Santos’ court fees, in addition to providing monthly spousal and child support totaling $4,006.

Next month, the court has scheduled the estranged couple’s appearance to rule on a restraining order filed by Dern in April and to finalize the custody agreement. As the legal battle continues, the future remains uncertain for both parties.

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What are your thoughts on this development in Mackenzie Dern’s legal battle? Let us know in the comments below.

Watch this story: WATCH: One of the Bloodiest UFC Fights Ever

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Written by:

Mayur Soni

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Mayur Soni is a UFC writer at EssentiallySports. His journey as an MMA fan started with Conor McGregor’s historic 13-second knockout of Jose Aldo in 2015, which sparked his love for the sport. Since then, he has closely followed the sport and gained an in-depth understanding of its nuances, which reflects in his insightful and analytical writing.
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