Mackenzie Dern vs Tecia Torres is booked for UFC 273.
Torres asked for a top-five contender and that is what she got in Dern, the hard-hitting BJJ black belt. Dern, who was on a four-fight winning streak beating Hannah Cifers, Randa Markos, Virna Jandiroba, and the surging Nina Nunes lost her last fight against Marina Rodriguez.
MMA is a tricky sport there is so much competition and it is constantly evolving. Dern is 28 and has had eight fights in the UFC going into this fight with a 6-2 UFC record. She is now experienced and in the top-five. Can Dern continue her quest toward a UFC title is the main question?
Torres, ranked at No. 7, is looking to crack the top five. At 32 years old, she has faced the best in the world and been in the cage with Rose Namajunas twice, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, and Weili Zhang. After reaching the top of the division in 2018-19, Torres faced some tough opponents and some bad losses. Losing four in a row to the best in the world, Torres missed her shot at a UFC title. Still young and in her prime, she is giving a title run one more chance. Now with more experience can she finally reach her goal of becoming a champion? On a three-fight winning streak taking out Briana Van Buren, Sam Hughes, and Angela Hill, she has proven again that she is one of the best.
Breaking down Mackenzie Dern vs Tecia Torres.
This is a three-round fight and Dern has a big advantage on the ground. Torres, while being good in all areas including the floor, does not want to be on the ground with the Dern. Dern is younger but both have had about the same amounts of fights at this point in their careers. Going into this fight they are both experienced and have faced some of the best in the world. Torres has faced the best but both have a good amount of experience here and are looking to beat each other for a chance to really get ahead in this competitive strawweight division.
Torres is small at 5’1″ but she’s always been the smaller fighter in the cage and has fared pretty well. She is an anomaly in that she’s fast and hard to finish. Torres has never been submitted or knocked out in her MMA career. She also got her first finish against Hughes at UFC 256. She is constantly improving and putting on some size, so she is more dangerous than ever.
Dern, on the other hand, is a problem for anyone and has finely tuned her striking. She has also decided to really throw big bombs being that she has no fear of being taken to the ground. She has proved that she can take punishment and overcome adversity, like in the Jandiroba fight, where she suffered a badly broken nose. She has become dangerous in both areas, on the ground and standing up. It still was not enough to beat Rodriguez, who beat her in a five-rounder last October.
Both girls vastly different fighters and are both very unique. Torres is always the smallest fighter and Dern is always feared on the ground. The game plan of Torres is obvious: don’t get caught into a clinch and then use her speed to kickbox her way to a unanimous decision victory. She is not a finisher and the chances of her knocking Dern out are slim to none. If she submits Dern on the floor MMA will turn upside down so we can be sure that is not going to happen.
Dern has all the tools to win here. If it goes on the ground, she will have her way with the smaller Torres. Keep in mind the Tiny Tornado has never been finished. Could the BJJ black belt become the first person to finish the “Tiny Tornado?” It does seem fitting however it will still be a challenge. Every fight starts standing up, so Torres needs to use that to her advantage, and she needs to make sure she wins the first round to send a message to Dern.
Dern, on the other hand, wants to close the distance early or at least do some early damage and also she needs to win the first round. A decision favors Torres because her goal is to go the distance. Both women have great cardio so a three-rounder will not be a challenge. Having only finished one fight in her career, the “Tiny Tornado” wants to make a statement in this fight,as she has once already lost four in a row in the UFC, so if she wants another big fight, she will have to make an impact here.
My pick is Mackenzie Dern for UFC 273 because she is a nightmare for anyone, especially Tecia Torres. Torres does have a shot here but her best chance is a decision win which Dern is trying to thwart. Prediction: Pick Mackenzie Dern especially if you are betting.
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