A fight between Mackenzie Dern and Denise Gomes is being worked on for a March event. The location and date have not been set. The bout has not been made official.
A title fight between women's strawweight champion Mackenzie Dern and top contender Denise Gomes is reportedly being worked on for a March event. The matchup has not been made official, and neither a date nor a location has been set.
Dern, 33, is the reigning strawweight champion and carries a 17-5-0 record. The American, who trains with RVCA, defended her belt most recently on August 15, 2026, at UFC 330, beating Gillian Robertson by unanimous decision over five rounds. That followed a five-round unanimous decision over Virna Jandiroba at UFC 321 in October 2025 and a third-round submission of Amanda Ribas in January 2025. Dern averages 3.38 significant strikes per minute at 41 percent accuracy, and her grappling output stands at 1.07 takedowns and one submission attempt per 15 minutes.
Gomes, 26, is ranked fourth in the division and holds a 13-3-0 record. The Brazilian from GAEA Project is coming off a first-round KO/TKO of Yan Xiaonan on August 29, 2026, and has won three straight in the UFC's records, including a second-round stoppage of Elise Reed in May 2025 and a unanimous decision over Tecia Pennington in November 2025. She lands 4.4 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy and averages 1.38 takedowns and 0.7 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Gomes has finished two of her last three recorded fights by knockout or technical knockout, while Dern's last two outings both went the full five rounds.
- The numbers point to a striker-versus-grappler contrast. Gomes out-lands Dern by roughly one significant strike per minute (4.4 to 3.38) and has the higher accuracy (48 to 41 percent), though Dern's submission rate is higher (1.0 to 0.7 attempts per 15 minutes).
- Gomes is seven years younger, and the two share an identical 63-inch (160 cm) reach, while Dern is two inches taller at five-foot-four.
- A fourth-ranked contender earning a title shot would underline how quickly Gomes has climbed after her August stoppage of Yan.
Until the UFC confirms the fight, the March target remains a report rather than a finalized booking.
