Mackenzie Dern Accepts Invite To UFC Performance Institute To Address Weight-Cutting Issues

Mackenzie Dern missed weight by a whopping 7lbs prior to her victory over Amanda Cooper at UFC 224 and it’s something that the rising star acknowledges needs to be addressed.

“I can tell you 10,000 excuses but I really believe what happened with my weight was way back months ago in my last fight. I think it’s my diet, I need to get my diet right,” Dern told the media following UFC 224 on Saturday night.

“The fact that I was able to do it before, I thought I knew what I was doing. A lot of things have been happening, it’s not an excuse. I missed flights and a lot of things happened and I just kept going and going. The UFC, since the first day I got here, were trying to help me and I said I was going to be able to make weight and I didn’t.”

As such, Dern now intends to take on-board the UFC’s input on the best way to make weight in the future.

“My manager said that the UFC would want me to move up in weight. I believe that they won’t. On Friday, [UFC matchmaker] Mick [Maynard] called me and said we have in institute here in Vegas and we’re going to invest in you, we want you here, we’re going to work with you so I said I’m going to work with you guys. I can’t lose that opportunity to get all this help from this organization that is so big and it’s going to help me make weight.”

Ross Cole
Ross launched MMA Insight (previously FightOfTheNight.com) in 2009 as a way to channel his passion for the sport of mixed martial arts. He's since penned countless news stories and live fight reports along with dozens of feature articles as the lead writer for the site, reaching millions of fans in the process.