Dern Shoots Down Robertson's Dislike Claim

UFC strawweight champion Mackenzie Dern dismissed suggestions of bad blood with challenger Gillian Robertson ahead of their title fight at UFC 330.

Robertson told a podcast she did not like Dern very much, but the champion said she was puzzled by the claim. "I have nothing against her. I've never even met her," Dern told MMA Fighting on Tuesday.

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Dern Welcomes Grappling Challenge From Robertson

Dern said Robertson had been the one building tension by questioning the champion's submission credentials and mentioning her own UFC finish record on Joe Rogan's show. The Brazilian champion said she does not engage in trash talk to elevate herself but acknowledged a competitive edge has emerged around their grappling credentials.

Robertson enters the bout on a five-fight winning streak. Dern said she likes facing opponents on runs and trying to end them, and that she welcomed a challenge from another jiu-jitsu specialist. The champion called the matchup a good fit after months of speculation that former titleholder Zhang Weili would return to strawweight instead.

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Dern won the belt earlier this year and makes her first defense Saturday night.

Reported via:

• MMA Fighting — Mackenzie Dern scoffs at Gillian Robertson’s claim she doesn’t like her very much: ‘I’ve never even met her!’