5 UFC fighters with the best Jiu-Jitsu, and 1 with the worst

4. Mackenzie Dern

Mackenzie Dern is an individual that fans would quickly name when thinking about the top grapplers in the UFC. She is another competitor that comes into the Octagon with shelves filled with medals from a successful Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu career. She’s picked up wins in major gi and NoGi competitions. For example, she has won the NoGi World Championship, European Championship, Asian Open Championship, the World Cup, and others. She’s also won two ADCC gold medals, winning the 2012 North American Championship and the 2015 ADCC World Championship in Sao Paulo.

That success has translated to her time in mixed martial arts. Dern boasts seven of her 13 victories by submission. Four of those have come to the UFC, as she’s submitted Nina Nunes, Randa Markos, Hannah Cifers, and Amanda Cooper during her run.

Dern is known for having a very aggressive grappling style in both mixed martial arts and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Oftentimes, it looks like she flings herself into compromising positions when in reality she’s forcing her opponents to react, frequently putting themselves in danger against a competitor of her level. Some would incorrectly call her grappling almost “frantic” in a sense, but the movements are always calculated in the sense that they open her opponents up to danger. Those that tend to survive those grappling exchanges either hold Dern in position or make calculated movements to get back to their feet. Staying on the ground with her is a game where few come out unscathed.

Mackenzie Dern is one of the best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitors to make the jump to the UFC, and she could even overtake the next individual who has the record for most submissions in Women’s UFC history. Her addition to the UFC roster has forced many to elevate their grappling games.