Marina Rodriguez further validated herself as a strawweight contender to watch with a main event win over Mackenzie Dern on Saturday at UFC Fight Night 194.
Rodriguez (16-1-2 MMA, 5-1-2 UFC) improved to 2-0 in UFC headliners when she scored a unanimous decision victory over Dern (11-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) in the matchup of elite 115-pound fighters, which took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Check below for the top Twitter reactions to Rodriguez’s victory over Dern at UFC Fight Night 194.
Hard knee tot he body from Rodriguez. Dern vineing a leg and looking for a takedown against the cage, Hard elbow to the body from Rodriguez. #UFCVegas39
— Bloody Elbow (@BloodyElbow) October 9, 2021
Rodriguez making it look easy in the clinch.. could be a big problem for Dern.
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) October 9, 2021
Nothing impactful landed in round 1. Rodriguez seems to be landing a little more and probably takes it 10-9 #UFCVegas39
— Seán Sheehan (@SeanSheehanBA) October 9, 2021
At least Rodriguez proved my clinch reads right so far as she earns the first round, but the crazy thing is that Dern can still win with just one ground exchange if she gets it. #UFCVegas39
— Dan Tom (@DanTomMMA) October 9, 2021
R2 for Dern: failed throw, winds up on bottom, reverses. Hey, whatever gets you there. #UFCVegas39
— Michael Carroll (@MJCflipdascript) October 9, 2021
Terrifying words: “Mackenzie Dern, knee on belly”
— MMA mania (@mmamania) October 9, 2021
Not exactly what Maia would do to get takedowns, but the principle is the same: cause a reaction from a takedown attempt (even if it fails), then use the scramble for a leg entanglement to force jiu-jitsu on the fight.
— Luke Thomas (@lthomasnews) October 9, 2021
I feel like Marina has done great to survive all this
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) October 9, 2021
That arm was about to go home with Dern! Run grappling exchanges and big GnP! 1-1 going into the 3rd for me. #UFCVegas39
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) October 9, 2021
Good Lord Dern is magic on the ground. That transition to the back mount was insane #UFCVegas39
— John Gooden (@JohnGoodenUK) October 9, 2021
Man. This is a fascinating fight.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) October 9, 2021
Those transitions! Leg attack to sweep to crucifix to mount. High level! #UFCVegas39
— Alan Jouban (@AlanJouban) October 9, 2021
Dern should honestly think about clinching and pulling guard
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) October 9, 2021
This main event between these ladies has me on the edge of my seat 😬😬 @ufc
— Raquel Pennington (@RockyPMMA) October 9, 2021
I gotta see marina vs Joanna at some point
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) October 9, 2021
Telling Dern she needs the next two rounds is great coaching. It seems so basic, but you don’t always get this even at the UFC level. #UFCVegas39
— Scott Fontana (@Scott_Fontana) October 9, 2021
Dern striking offense and defense is trash and she gassed! Valentina beats her easy!
— Mike “Biggie” Rhodes (@TeamRocBiggie) October 9, 2021
Kick to the lady bits is no fun. I can speak to this 🙋🏼♀️
— Laura Sanko (@laura_sanko) October 9, 2021
No level changes from Mackenzie she needs to work with Khabib or cejudo
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) October 9, 2021
Rodriguez is really good in the forward blitz’s.
— Alan Jouban (@AlanJouban) October 9, 2021
Dern ends up on top in the most unforeseen scramble ever!
— Luke Thomas (@lthomasnews) October 9, 2021
Holy shit!!!! Just when you think one is done! Dern turned it around. More time on the clock and she would have had that arm bar @ufc
— Raquel Pennington (@RockyPMMA) October 9, 2021
I can’t believe how close Mackenzie Dern came there to flailing her way into the ground battle she wanted after getting dominated on the feet. She’s got no business winning this fight and yet it still feels like maybe she could?
— Ben Fowlkes (@benfowlkesMMA) October 9, 2021
We often use the “striker vs. grappler” phrase a little too often, but for this matchup, it couldn’t be more accurate. #UFCVegas39
— Farah Hannoun (@Farah_Hannoun) October 9, 2021
Some feints would’ve done Dern well in this fight. Too much chasing and predictable attacks for Rodriguez to read and cut angles out of danger. Fun fight still. Both ladies showed some serious threats in both their worlds of experience #UFCVegas39
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) October 9, 2021
Higher opinion of Rodriguez AND Dern off this. I’ll watch Rodriguez as a title challenger. She’s legit. Dern … don’t forget, still just five years into MMA. Cardio held up. Competitor. Improved striking defense. She’s 28. How does she look at 30? 32? Good showing by both.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) October 9, 2021
