Mackenzie Dern Eyes UFC 321 Strawweight Title Before Zhang Weili Rematch

Mackenzie Dern is set to fight Virna Jandiroba for the vacant UFC strawweight title at UFC 321 following Zhang Weili's move to flyweight and vacating the belt. Dern openly admits that she would not have been ready to challenge Zhang Weili, the dominant former strawweight champion, at this point in her career. She believes winning the title first will boost her confidence and preparation, potentially allowing her to face Weili in a future bout, possibly around six to eight months after UFC 321. Dern emphasizes the importance of this title fight to uplift the division and prepare for potential matchups, including a return of Weili to strawweight. Despite the challenge ahead, Dern is optimistic about the growth of the strawweight division and the rising competition within it. The fight against Jandiroba marks Dern's first title shot and a significant milestone in her career progression.