Mackenzie Dern’s UFC debut date and opponent confirmed

After a short one-fight stint with Invicta FC, BJJ wizard Mackenzie Dern is UFC bound.

Dern is scheduled to make her promotional debut at the UFC 222 PPV in Las Vegas — the event is scheduled for March 3rd. Her opponent, Ashley Yoder, will be looking for her first win under the UFC banner in her third fight. MMAFighting reported news of Mackenzie’s confirmed debut bout earlier today.

There’s been plenty of fanfare surrounding the 24-year-old BJJ black belt; Dern has won multiple gold medals in World Jiu-Jitsu competition while representing America before making her professional mixed martial arts debut for Legacy FC in 2016. She will enter the Octagon with a perfect record of 5-0. Three of victories came by way of submission, the latest being of the armbar variety with just fifteen seconds left in the third and final round of her bout against Kaline Medeiros at Invicta FC 26 last month.

UFC 222 will take place inside of the T-Mobile Arena and will be the third PPV for the promotion in 2018. Here’s the current fight card as it stands tonight.

Heavyweight Bout
Stefan Struve (28-9) vs. Andrei Arlovski (26-15)

Women’s Bantamweight Bout
Cat Zingano (9-2) vs. Ketlen Vieira (9-0)

Middleweight Bout
Hector Lombard (34-8-1) vs. C.B. Dollaway (16-8)

Women’s Strawweight Bout
Mackenzie Dern (5-0) vs. Ashley Yoder (5-2)

Bantamweight Bout
Sean O’Malley (9-0) vs. Andre Soukhamthath (12-5)