Mackenzie Dern promised a slick submission win over Randa Markos at UFC on ESPN+ 36 on Saturday, and that’s exactly what she delivered.
Dern (9-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) needed just one opportunity to fight Markos (10-8-1 MMA, 6-7 UFC) on the canvas to get the job done. She took advantage of her best skill set and locked in a fight-ending armbar at the 3:44 mark of the first round, which moved her to 2-0 since returning to MMA after taking a layoff to give birth to her first child.
The women’s strawweight bout was part of the UFC on ESPN+ 36 main card at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. It streamed on ESPN+.
Markos came out looking to push a pace in the striking department. Dern attempted to fire back, but slipped on a kick and fell to her back. Markos made the perplexing choice to follow her to the mat, and Dern instantly went to work, eventually sweeping into top control. It was from there that Dern really put her grappling expertise to work, breaking down Markos’ defense and eventually isolating her left arm into the finish.
SIMPLY UNSTOPPABLE.
Never, ever go to the ground with @MackenzieDern
[ #UFCVegas11 – LIVE on #ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/pMN6F4Udv4— UFC (@ufc) September 20, 2020
Dern was excited about her performance after the fact. The 27-year-old has now picked up three of her four UFC wins by submission, while Markos has dropped consecutive fights for the first time inside the octagon.
“I’m so happy,” Dern said in her post-fight interview with Jon Anik. “I don’t know why the girls want to stay on the ground with me. She came down into my guard, I didn’t take her down. … I’m so happy I got the win representing jiu-jitsu.”
Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN+ 36 results include:
- Mackenzie Dern def. Randa Markos via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 3:44
- Kevin Holland def. Darren Stewart via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- David Dvorak def. Jordan Espinosa via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Damon Jackson def. Mirsad Bektic via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 3, 1:21
- Mayra Bueno Silva def. Mara Borella via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 2:29
- Jessica-Rose Clark def. Sarah Alpar via TKO (strikes) – Round 3, 4:21
- Darrick Minner def. T.J. Laramie via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 0:52
- Randy Costa def. Journey Newson via knockout (head kick) – Round 1, 0:41
- Andre Ewell def. Irwin Rivera via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Tyson Nam def. Jerome Rivera via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 0:34