Dern Set For Surprising Gomes Fight In March

UFC strawweight champion Mackenzie Dern will defend her title against rising contender Denise Gomes in March 2027, according to MMA journalist Laerte Viana.

The matchup reportedly sidesteps a clash with former titleholder Zhang Weili, who lost her bid for double champ status and is expected to drop back to the 115-pound division this year. Dern stopped Gillian Robertson at UFC 330 in August to defend the belt she won by beating Virna Jandiroba at UFC 321.

Why Gomes Earned The Shot

Gomes made her case with five straight wins, capped by a first-round knockout of Yan Xiaonan at UFC Shanghai earlier this year. The Brazilian sits 7-1 in the UFC since earning her contract via the Contender Series in August 2022, with additional victories over Tecia Pennington and Elise Reed. Per BJPenn.com, no location or date has been confirmed for the March event.

Former title challenger Tatiana Suarez beat Jandiroba by decision at UFC Vegas 123 last weekend but remains outside the title picture. The UFC has not yet announced its February or March lineup beyond UFC 336, which features a flyweight main event between Joshua Van and Manel Kape.

Photo by Pavel Bekker on Unsplash

Original reporting:

• bjpenn.com — REPORT: Mackenzie Dern set for surprising fight in March UFC return | BJPenn.com