Given that she’s had numerous issues with cutting down to 115lbs in the past, people have been understandably concerned about how Mackenzie Dern will be on the scales for her fight with Amanda Ribas later today in Florida after returning from the birth of her first child, but the BJJ ace claims it’s easier than ever now.
“I woke up this morning at 117, so one more pound to 116 or two to 115,” Dern told MMA Junkie yesterday. “I’m feeling good. I’ll do a training today. I had a good breakfast and I probably won’t eat too much the rest of the day just to wake up good.”
However, even if she does make weight, the 26-year-old is still bracing herself for criticism one way or another.
“I think it will be good and bad because I think they’ll say, ‘See? She wasn’t focused before.’ They’re going to say, ‘See? She isn’t really a professional athlete because when she wants to, she can make weight.’ Every time I didn’t make weight, I can promise I really wish that I did make weight. I was trying my hardest to make the weight, but I messed up somewhere in the camp or I ate too much one day.
“Something. In the end it wasn’t coming off. It’s not like I want it more or not, but definitely I think the pregnancy helps me a lot. I think we’ll quiet a lot of people with that, but I know that after they’re are always going to be critics. Like, ‘See? Her striking isn’t good or something.’ So I’m prepared for anything.”
