Mackenzie Dern just made a huge statement, challenging former UFC world champion Rose Namajunas and ADCC world champion Ffion Davies to grappling matches. She issued the challenge when she was invited to speak at a recent press conference for a brand new promotion, the Abu Dhabi Extreme Championship. Dern is without a doubt one of the most successful female BJJ competitors of all time and she’s since transitioned to MMA, becoming a top contender in the UFC strawweight division.
It’s been a long time since Mackenzie Dern last competed in BJJ, and both Rose Namajunas and Ffion Davies have been more active in the sport recently. Dern hasn’t competed since an unsuccessful attempt to win ADCC 2017, whereas Davies won gold in the under 60kg division at ADCC 2022 and Namajunas recently tested herself in the ADCC Denver Open. Dern would be the heavy favorite against Namajunas regardless of her recent inactivity in BJJ, but a match with Davies would be far more interesting. She’s open to either one though according to her recent statements:
“I would love to fight on this event. Against Rose Namajunas would be amazing. If you see that we have rounds, this style, this dynamic of this organization. For you to have one round and have a minute with your coaches to think and correct, and come back again and try to go again with the same opponent; That’s amazing for you to push forward. I think me and Rose Namajunas would be a great fight. I would also like to fight Ffion Davies. She’s more Jiu-Jitsu you know? So I would like to face her on the organization.”
The clip from the interview with Mackenzie Dern where she calls out both Rose Namajunas and Ffion Davies for BJJ matches was uploaded to the official Instagram account of Abu Dhabi Extreme Championship:
