Mackenzie Dern beat Angela Hill via a unanimous decision at UFC Vegas 73. Dern fought Hill in the main event of UFC Fight Night Dern vs. Hill. The Brazilian fought with sheer dominance and left no doubt about her win.
7-3 in the UFC, Dern was coming off a loss against Yan Xionan in her last bout. The 30-year-old Brazilian sensation was 3-2 in her last five and sought to get back to winning ways with a win over Hill.
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Angela Hill, 38, was 2-3 in her last five. She had won her last bout against Emily Ducote. A win over Dern would have sent her on a two-fight win streak. Unlucky for her, nothing was going to stop Dern considering the way she fought tonight. Nevertheless, Hill is a veteran in the sport, with a few notable wins in the UFC. It is safe to say that the fight certainly met the fans’ expectations. Here’s what they are saying.
Fans react to Dern vs. Hill at UFC Vegas 73
Angela Hill vs Mackenzie Dern was a fight worthy of the main event. Both strawweight fighters went at it from the first bell and refused to concede an inch. Dern had success in the first round on the feet and on the ground. She was finding Hill’s chin with crisp striking, but the veteran held her own. On the ground, Dern kept hunting for submissions, but Hill managed to survive.
‘Overkill’ came back strong in the second round and gained some momentum, but Dern took back control in the third. The Brazilian was more aggressive than usual and kept storming Hill with punches and takedowns. Dern dominated the remaining rounds viciously and earned a unanimous decision win. Fans including fellow MMA fighters on Twitter had quite a few reactions to the aggressive and dominant display of skill by Mackenzie Dern.
Respect for the toughness of Hill but this is a battering now. I think she needs to use the strategy she did in RD 2- press Dern to the cage, throw knees to the body, slow the fight down. Dern is the bigger and stronger woman in there tn #UFCVegas73
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) May 21, 2023
What a fight! 25 minutes in the books for our #UFCVegas73 main event!
Decision up next 📝 pic.twitter.com/XfrOuD6gLa
— UFC (@ufc) May 21, 2023
Beast mode Dern 🔥 pic.twitter.com/TZxsrWAwJJ
— MS (@UFC_Obsessed) May 21, 2023
Divorced Dern is different #UFCVegas73
— MMA Mania (@mmamania) May 21, 2023
Mackenzie Dern is fighting like a world champion tonight. Wow.
— Jon Anik (@Jon_Anik) May 21, 2023
Dern is absolutely fighting with more urgency and is showing better GNP than normal. That's making a real difference and is exciting to see, but this performance is not a radical departure from the issues previously limiting her upside.
— Luke Thomas🏋️♂️ (@lthomasnews) May 21, 2023
49-43
49-44
49-44@MackenzieDern 2.0 has arrived! 🫶 #UFCVegas73 pic.twitter.com/qPJlJumtli— UFC on BT Sport (@btsportufc) May 21, 2023
Mackenzie Dern snaps her main event – UFC Apex curse by defeating Angel Hill via unanimous decision pic.twitter.com/YKyzNHcFYb
— MMA Mania (@mmamania) May 21, 2023
Mackenzie Dern 2.0 is here. https://t.co/2csz7W8mzx
— Chamatkar Sandhu (@SandhuMMA) May 21, 2023
This is the most vicious Mackenzie Dern we've ever seen.
— MMA History Today (@MMAHistoryToday) May 21, 2023
"I don't know what's Rose up to? If she's interested in fighting, I'd like to fight Rose [Namajunas]." – Mackenzie Dern #UFCVegas73
— Bloody Elbow (@BloodyElbow) May 21, 2023
There are moments in this sport that shift your perspective of what a fighter brings to the table. This was that fight for Dern. Evolution. She’s a problem, and will definitely be fighting for the belt if she stays on this path. Wow.
— Adam Reed (@AdamMichaelReed) May 21, 2023
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After the fight, Dern earned her third-degree black belt from her coach, who presented it to her inside the cage. She also mentioned that she wanted to tie the record of fellow Brazilian and former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira for the most submissions. She called for a fight against former champion Rose Namajunas next.
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Dern’s personal life was in the limelight during fight week as she detailed going through a divorce. This win will go a long way in helping her get her confidence back and go ahead with her career. What are your thoughts on Dern’s performance? Would you like to see her fight Namajunas next? Let us know in the comments below.
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