Multiple time gi and no-gi world Jiu-Jitsu champion and #11 ranked UFC women’s strawweight Mackenzie Dern has a new coach, Jason Parillo. Dern fights Virna Jandiroba on the main card of UFC 256 on Saturday, and at the virtual media day, she said she believes a title shot is coming soon. 

Definitely in 2021, I want to try and pick a little bit more my fights to really get me one step closer to the belt, not just fight anyone for anytime for anything, said Dern. I really want to fight the top fighters and show that I have the level to be the champion. I don’t want to get there by just fighting anyone. I want to get there by proving myself, and I think the best way to prove it is by fighting the top contenders.

I think [Jandiroba’s] grappling is a lot of pressure and passing and things like that, and people see me doing these crazy armbars and leglocks and kind of a little bit looser and stuff like that, but man, I’m a complete fighter.”

Of course my plan is not to win the fight striking, but I definitely think it’s going to give a lot more opportunities to show and maybe hurt her a little bit on my striking so the jiu-jitsu will be even easier, but I think it’s going to be a great fight.”

I’m seeing such a big evolution on my game, my striking. I’m training more my boxing than my jiu-jitsu, and I’m like, ‘Man, I’m seeing such a big evolution’ and everything, so I really want to try to take advantage of this momentum that I have for my last two fights, take advantage of my training with [Parillo] and how much potential he’s showing me that I have. So I’m really happy, and I’m excited to see if I can show everyone with this fight.

h/t John Morgan for MMA Junkie