Overview
- Dern faces Virna Jandiroba for the vacant UFC women’s strawweight championship in the UFC 321 co-main event on Oct. 25 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
- The 115-pound title is open after Zhang Weili moved to flyweight to pursue a fight with Valentina Shevchenko.
- During fight week, Dern said she does not feel ready to face Zhang now but believes a title win would provide the confidence to pursue that matchup.
- Her preparation has emphasized mental rehearsal, including visualizing Dana White and her daughter raising her hand, alongside tactical work to blend her grappling with improved takedown setups.
- Dern won a unanimous decision over Jandiroba in their 2020 meeting, and Jandiroba arrives for this five-round title bout on a sustained winning run as one of the division’s most seasoned grapplers.