Mackenzie Dern focused on improving, not title shot following UFC Vegas 101 submission win over Amanda Ribas

Mackenzie Dern knows her hopes of fighting for UFC gold won’t happen unless she puts together an impressive streak.

Still, Dern did herself a world of favor with her performance against Amanda Ribas at UFC Vegas 101 this past Saturday. This was a rematch, as Ribas handed Dern her first career loss back in 2019. For Dern, the rematch was more than just revenge, as she’s looking to catch momentum with a winning streak.

She is now the winner of two straight after submitting Ribas via armbar in the third round.

RELATED: PROS REACT AFTER MACKENZIE DERN SUBMITS AMANDA RIBAS IN REMATCH AT UFC VEGAS 101

Mackenzie Dern Isn’t Eager to Discuss UFC Title Shot Just Yet

Going into the rematch with Amanda Ribas, Mackenzie Dern had gone 2-3 in her last five outings. While she was able to snag her second win in a row this weekend, she knows that talk of a championship opportunity isn’t realistic at this point. During the UFC Vegas 101 post-fight press conference, she told reporters that maintaining momentum is what’s important to her right now (via MMAJunkie).

“I think I’m very hard on myself,” Dern told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a post-fight news conference. “I’m always trying to get better. Even when I have a great performance, I think I did so many things wrong. I think that it’s a lot of play messing in your head, so it can take your journey and maybe make it a little longer.

“But I think in the end, it really helps you evolve to be the best fighter possible if you can really look back and have constructive criticism on yourself. My idea isn’t to go fight for the belt and then lose it fast. My idea is to get the belt, and I want to be a dominant champion. I’m not in a rush to get there. I want to have good fights and I want to make a statement.”

Dern was ahead of Ribas on the official UFC strawweight rankings going into their second showdown. Dern will now hold her number six position in the weight class. When asked about a potential callout by Michael Bisping during the post-fight interview, Dern was honest and said she’s been defeated by some ahead of her in the rankings.