Mackenzie Dern Rumored to Face Nina Ansaroff in April

UFC strawweight contender Mackenzie Dern seems to have gotten her next opponent. Since her loss to Amanda Ribas, Dern has bounced back strongly to record three wins in a row. Currently ranked #11 in the UFC strawweight rankings, she looks to be matched up against #5 ranked Nina Ansaroff.

Arguably the best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu talent in the UFC, Dern is currently 10-1 in the UFC. If she continues to fulfill her potential, it will not be long before we see her challenge for the title. A win against Ansaroff should propel Dern into the top 5 of the division.

Read: Mackenzie Dern Reveals Why She Did Not Use Her Ground Game Against Virna Jandiroba 

Mackenzie Dern vs Nina Ansaroff on April 10th

As reported by ESPN MMA, Mackenzie Dern and Nina Ansaroff are in the works for April 10, according to multiple sources. There has been no official confirmation from the UFC on the location and date of the event. However, it is reported that although the contracts have not been signed, both sides have agreed to the opponent and date.

Dern has strong BJJ credentials. She is a former world No. 1 ranked IBJJF competitor, as well as an ADCC and no-gi BJJ World Champion. Her transition into MMA has been nearly perfect. With 10 wins under her belt and only one loss, it holds up a respectable MMA record.

Having recently become a mother, Dern seems to be more focused not only on the fight but on her preparation as well. Her weight cutting issues seem a thing of the past and she now seems to have everything figured out to be a world champion.

An intriguing strawweight bout

In Dern’s way, however, will be Nina Ansaroff, if the fight does get confirmed. Ranked #5, Ansaroff is now 35 and will be looking at making a final run at the title. A win over Dern would be a huge statement.

‘The Strina’ is coming off a loss to Tatiana Suarez at UFC 235 featuring Henry Cejudo and Marlon Moraes. Before the loss, Ansaroff had put together an impressive four-fight win streak beating the likes of Claudia Gadelha and Angela Hill.

She will now look to stop a young rising prospect in her tracks.

A fight between the two strawweights could have major implications in the division. Dern recently suffered a broken nose in her win over Jandiroba. She is set to undergo a minor procedure on the injury and is expected to make a full recovery well in time to train for April.

What do you make of this booking?

Read: Rose Namajunas Opens up on Tragic Loss of Grandfather