UFC strawweight contender Mackenzie Dern has undergone a significant body transformation that extends far beyond cosmetic changes, representing a fundamental evolution in her approach to professional mixed martial arts competition. The 32-year-old Brazilian-American fighter recently reflected on her physical development, describing a stark contrast between her earlier UFC appearances and her current athletic conditioning.
Mackenzie Dern’s Physical Evolution
In an interview with Ariel Helwani, Mackenzie Dern explained:
“I was watching my fight with [Virna Jandiroba] last time and I was like, man, I was so like petite, you know, I just like didn’t really have any muscles and I was just kind of like very girly girl. And, you know, I’m way more athletic now and just kind of was able to grow the muscle and like get a way more mature, athletic body to be able to fight for the championship now, you know what I mean?
“My whole journey in the UFC has been like a lot of emotion and kind of going to like battles that I didn’t need to, but at the same time, I know I’ve been through a lot more battles than she has, you know. So, I think I’m really hard to break.”
Mackenzie Dern’s body transformation centers on substantial muscle development and dramatic body composition changes that have enhanced her competitive capabilities. Working with experienced conditioning coach Rogerio Camoes, who previously trained middleweight legend Anderson Silva, Dern has achieved remarkable results in her physical restructuring. The partnership has yielded measurable improvements, including gaining 11 pounds of muscle.
The body composition changes represent one of the most significant transformations in recent UFC history. Dern’s body fat percentage dropped from 22 percent to 11 percent while simultaneously building substantial muscle mass. These changes occurred without altering her overall weight, demonstrating sophisticated training and nutrition management that has optimized her physical capabilities for championship-level competition.
The transformation process began following Dern’s pregnancy in 2019, which served as an unexpected catalyst for physical improvement. Dern described how pregnancy and breastfeeding effectively “restarted” her body composition, providing an opportunity to rebuild her physique from baseline. This biological reset allowed her to implement more structured training protocols and nutritional strategies that had previously been challenging to establish.
Dern’s training regimen incorporates comprehensive strength and conditioning elements designed to support her grappling-heavy fighting style. Her weekly routine includes high-intensity interval training, cardiovascular conditioning, and weightlifting workouts that emphasize functional movement patterns. The program features deadlifts, pull-ups, squats, and specialized MMA-specific exercises that have contributed to her enhanced muscle development and improved athletic performance.
Weight cutting concerns that previously plagued Dern’s early UFC career have been completely addressed through her improved body composition. Camoes noted that Dern no longer requires extreme measures like saunas or bathtubs to make weight, often waking up on fight day already at the required limit. This improvement has eliminated the psychological stress associated with weight management, allowing Dern to focus entirely on performance preparation.
Since implementing her new training approach, she has secured victories against ranked opponents and positioned herself for a title shot against Virna Jandiroba at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi. The bout represents Dern’s first opportunity to compete for UFC championship gold after nearly a decade in professional mixed martial arts.
Dern’s evolution demonstrates how comprehensive physical development can enhance fighting capabilities beyond basic strength improvements. Her increased muscle mass provides better durability during grappling exchanges, while reduced body fat improves endurance and recovery between rounds. The changes have also enhanced her confidence, as evidenced by her improved performance in recent high-profile matchups.
The upcoming title opportunity against Jandiroba represents validation of Dern’s comprehensive approach to physical and technical development. Her improved body composition, combined with her world-class grappling credentials and enhanced striking capabilities, has created a complete mixed martial artist capable of competing at championship level.
