One of the sport’s hottest prospects returns to the UFC in October following a 14-month absence.
Mackenzie Dern will meet Amanda Ribas in a strawweight fight at UFC on ESPN+ 19. MMA Junkie confirmed the bout through a person with knowledge of the situation following an initial report by ESPN.
Dern (7-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) last competed at UFC 224, where she scored a first-round submission victory over Amanda Cooper. It was the multiple-time World Jiu-Jitsu Championship gold medalist’s fourth career submission win. The 26-year-old gave birth to her first child last month, which helps explain her long break from fighting.
Ribas (7-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC), meanwhile, brings her own reputation as a finisher into the bout. She has six finishes in her seven career victories, including her second-round submission of Emily Whitmire in her UFC debut on June 29.
UFC on ESPN+ 19 on Oct. 12 has not yet had a venue named.
