MMA Preview – Nina Ansaroff vs Mackenzie Dern at UFC Vegas 23
NINA ANSAROFF VS MACKENZIE DERN FACTS
When is UFC Vegas 23? Saturday 10th April, 2021 - 18:00 start (UK)
Where is UFC Vegas 23? UFC APEX, Enterprise, Nevada (US)
Where can I get tickets for UFC Vegas 23? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC events
What channel is UFC Vegas 23 on? BT Sport 3
Where can I stream UFC Vegas 23? BT Sport subscribers can stream the fight online via the BT Sport website
For viewers in the United States, the event will be shown live on ESPN+ and you can sign up for access as part of a Disney Bundle here!
NINA ANSAROFF VS MACKENZIE DERN LOWDOWN
Nina Ansaroff (10-6) returns for her first fight since giving birth to her daughter. Her last fight was over two years ago losing to Tatiana Suarez which snapped a very impressive four-fight win streak including decisions over Angela Hill, Randa Markos and Claudia Gadelha. Suarez is mauling virtually every strawweight when fully fit and Ansaroff actually looked good in that fight outclassing Suarez whenever the fight was on the feet but succumbed to the wrestling powerhouse.
Mackenzie Dern (10-1) is steadily climbing the strawweight ladder evolving with each fight. She is the most decorated female Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner in the UFC so plan ‘A’ is clearly getting the fight to the ground, but she is filling the striking holes in her game as we saw in her last fight with fellow jiu-jitsu ace Virna Jandiroba, out striking her to earn the unanimous decision and go 5-1 in the UFC.
NINA ANSAROFF VS MACKENZIE DERN PREDICTION
The game plan will be clear for both women and that will be for Dern to get the fight to the ground and for Ansaroff to keep it on the feet. Ansaroff is a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu but nowhere near the level of Dern so she will want to avoid the takedown at all costs.
Worryingly for Dern, Ansaroff and she has very good takedown defence (77%) and she defended nine of Suarez’s 13 attempts. If the fight does go to the floor, she will be in trouble, but her takedown and submission defence is good enough to keep the fight on the feet long enough to inflict all the damage.
Ansaroff is one of the most underrated strikers in the division and should be able to defend Dern’s takedown attempts and pick her apart on the feet but cannot afford to make one mistake especially with a long layoff.
Prediction: Ansaroff via Decision
