Mackenzie Dern, having just put on an impressive display of her skills in MMA, has set her sights on a possible matchup with a former UFC champion with Rose Namajunas at the forefront of her mind. Namajunas’ plans for her future in the sport are not clear at this time, and it is not certain when she will be ready to return to the octagon.

In a 2022 interview, Namajunas expressed her desire to gain some muscle and participate in some grappling matches before returning to full-time MMA competition. Dern is, however, prepared to fight her if she decides to make a comeback.

Dern stated that she closely monitors Namajunas’ saw her compete in an ADCC regional tournament. While she acknowledged that it would not be an easy fight if she were to face Namajunas, she believes it would be an exciting encounter and a good test for both fighters.

Dern secured a unanimous decision win over Angela Hill in the main event of UFC Vegas 73, immediately calling out Namajunas for a match that would take place later in the year. However, if Namajunas is not available, Dern would love to have a rematch with Yan Xiaonan, who defeated her in a decision loss in October’s UFC Vegas 61 event.

Alternatively, Namajunas would enjoy testing her mettle against another former strawweight queen, like Jessica Andrade. Whatever the outcome, Dern is eager to face someone in the top five and believes she is ready to take on any of them.