The UFC returns to Las Vegas this Saturday after a week of “off” with an event practically “made in Brazil”. And Brazil with “z”, because the main star of the event is a Brazilian born in the United States and who has dual nationality: Mackenzie Dern. The strawweight takes on China’s Yan Xiaonan in the card’s main event, which features five other Brazilians in action: Francisco Massaranduba, Raoni Barcelos, Daniel Willycat, Netto BJJ and Philipe Lins.
Mackenzie Dern (left) faces off against Yan Xiaonan (right) at the UFC weigh-in — Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
O fight streams UFC Dern x Yan exclusively live this Saturday starting at 4:45 p.m. (Brasilia time). O Sports TV 2O combat.com It’s the Fight YouTube expose the Battle Warmup and the first two fights at the same time.
Mackenzie is fifth in the strawweight rankings; Xiaonan is the sixth. The Brazilian-American has won five of her last six fights and a win brings her closer to a title shot. However, she admits that she would prefer to play one more match before challenging the champion.
+ Mackenzie Dern admits disappointment with main event without audience
– I’m in no rush to fight for the belt. Much will depend on how I beat her. If I end up in, I don’t know, two minutes, great, that would be really cool, but I would like to have one more fight, because two minutes of fight you don’t have much to study, to see the gaps , to see what you can improve , he understood ? It would be really cool, maybe after this fight, if I win, to fight a former champion, like, I don’t know, Rose Namajunas, or Jessica Bate-Estaca, or even the one who loses between Carla Esparza and Weili. If I beat a former champ, I think that would put me in a better position to feel like I’m ready to fight the champ,” Dern commented.
Massaranduba with a difficult mission
Francisco Massaranduba has won his last two fights — Photo: Getty Images
Piauí’s Francisco “Massaranduba” Trinaldo is having a great time after moving up to welterweight, with two straight wins. This Saturday, however, the former TUF Brasil has a big challenge in the co-main event of the event: Jamaican Randy Brown, 16cm taller and 20cm ahead in wingspan. It’s also the last fight on Massaranduba’s contract and he knows a win would help with the renewal.
– My opponent is a very versatile guy, he is good in boxing, good in muay thai, good in submission and he has already beaten Brazilians. But he gave him a problem, and Randy Brown can hold on, because I’m going to go to him like this – fired the Brazilian.
+ Massaranduba warns Randy Brown: “I’m going for him”
Raoni tries to break up quickly
Raoni Barcelos smiles after gaining weight at UFC weigh-ins — Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Completing the triad that closes the card this Saturday, the carioca Raoni Barcelos faces the American Trevin Jones. Both have lost their last two bouts. The Brazilian bantamweight switched teams for this fight, now training at Top Brother MMA, and hopes to break his fast.
– I come out of the second defeat, but I think I have turned the page. What happened, happened. From now on, I’m writing a new story. It’s a fresh start,” Raoni said.
Willycat, Netto BJJ and Lins also present at the event
Daniel “Willycat” Santos is also on the main card. The Chute Boxe/Diego Lima bantamweight is trying to recover from the loss he suffered in his UFC debut last April. In the lead, he will have the American John Castaneda, who has two consecutive victories in the organization.
On the preliminary card are two other fighters from the Brazilian squad: lightweight Joaquim “Netto BJJ” Silva, who takes on Canadian Jesse Ronson, and light heavyweight Philipe Lins, who takes on Russian Maxim Grishin. Like Raoni, Netto BJJ is trying to snap a two-fight losing streak, and Lins is looking to build a winning streak after beating Marcin Prachnio in April.
Check out the full schedule:
UFC Last x Yan
October 1, 2022 in Las Vegas (United States)
MAIN CARD (8:00 p.m. Brasília time):
Strawweight: Mackenzie Dern vs. Yan Xiaonan
Welterweight: Randy Brown vs. Francisco Massaranduba
Bantamweight: Raoni Barcelos vs. Trevin Jones
Featherweight: Sodiq Yusuff vs. Don Shainis
Married weight (up to 63.5 kg): John Castaneda vs. Daniel Willycat
Lightweight: Mike Davis vs Viacheslav Borshchev
PRELIMINARY MAP (5:00 p.m. Brasilia time):
Heavyweight: Alexey Oleynik vs. Ilir Latifi
Lightweight: Netto BJJ vs. Jesse Ronson
Middleweight: Krzysztof Jotko vs. Brendan Allen
Light heavyweight: Philipe Lins vs. Maxim Grishin
Married weight (up to 63.5 kg): Julija Stoliarenko against Chelsea Chandler
Bantamweight: Randy Costa vs. Guido Cannetti
“Prone to fits of apathy. Beer evangelist. Incurable coffeeaholic. Internet expert.”