LAS VEGAS, NV – JANUARY 11: Mackenzie Dern hits Amanda Rivas of Brazil in a strawweight bout at the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on January 11, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Strawweights Mackenzie Dern and Amanda Rivas met for the second time in the main event of UFC Vegas 101 on Saturday, kicking off the promotion’s 2025 fight.
While the night featured a lot of newcomers and lesser-known players, making the card more about the future, Dern vs. Rivas 2 was very much about the present. And Rivas’ point in his decision about how much both fighters have improved since their first meeting.
In the early going, Dern was content to stand up and throw one-twos, but found himself clipped by Rivas’ counterattacking punches. Dern mixed in a kick to the leg with a teep to the midsection. This time Rivas charged forward, firing combinations and landing at least once. There’s plenty of action and movement, but the first two minutes don’t do much damage.
At the midway point of the first round, Dern dragged the fight into his wheelhouse, exploding for a takedown and landing it. Rivas was parallel to the fence but a few feet away from it and initially tried to close guard and tie up Dern. However, Dern was not going to be hindered and found a bit of space to work with, although there was no opening for ti to advance. Rivas wasn’t gambling at all and focused on defense rather than forcing Dern into a submission.
Rivas was on top with a takedown early in the second round, but Dern still had a chance as he tried to secure his arm. Rivas freed up his limbs and spent most of the round on top, avoiding submissions and finding enough space to do damage. With a minute left, Dern threw an omoplata and used it to escape position. Showing off his sublime jiu-jitsu skills, Dern briefly tied up Rivas’ arms from behind, favoring a sort of inverted crucifix. Still, this round was much better for Rivas, dominating for about four minutes.
In the third round, Rivas was back on top while Dern looked to clear her back. Brazilian Rivas was stuck closely to Dern, giving him limited space to work with. McKenzie finally completed the sweep (using the fence for an assist) with about a minute left in the frame and took the lead. From there she was able to move to mount, land a few club blows and hang on to the arm. The clock was ticking, but Rivas couldn’t finish it and tapped just before time ran out.
Both men are currently 1-1 under the UFC banner, with a potential rubber match in the future.
Official results: Mackenzie Dern def. Amanda Rivas, submission (armbar), round 3, 4:56
