MMA News has you covered with this week’s UFC matchmaking bulletin, featuring the next fight for Mackenzie Dern.
With UFC cards being held most weekends, Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby have their matchmaking work cut out if they’re to fill them, meaning new bouts are confirmed each and every week.
In recent days, a couple of notable fights were made official by the UFC. For more information on those matchups, check out the links below:
- Vicente Luque vs. Nick Diaz – UFC Abu Dhabi (August 3)
- Tony Ferguson vs. Michael Chiesa – UFC Abu Dhabi (August 3)
A few lower-profile matchups also came together. For those, check out this week’s quick hits:
- Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Muslim Salikhov – UFC Denver (July 13)
- Christian Rodriguez vs. Julian Erosa – UFC Denver (July 13)
- Alonzo Menifield vs. Azamat Murzakanov – UFC Abu Dhabi (August 3)
- Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady vs. Guram Kutateladze -UFC Abu Dhabi (August 3)
- Karl Williams vs. Jhonata Diniz – UFC Vegas 95 (August 10)
But it wasn’t all positive, with one fight being adjusted. For that, see below:
And for more detailed information on one newly booked fight that may have flown under your radar between May 27 and June 2, scroll down and check out this week’s UFC Matchmaking Bulletin spotlighted fight.
Mackenzie Dern vs. Loopy Godinez – UFC Abu Dhabi (August 3)
Mackenzie Dern will look to bounce back from the first losing skid of her professional MMA career when she heads to Abu Dhabi to appear on the UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov undercard.
Dern (13-5) has struggled with consistency since winning four straight upon her return post-pregnancy. After losing her opening two main events to Marina Rodriguez and Yan Xiaonan, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist appeared to level up in an Apex headliner last May, with Dern putting in her strongest display to date against Angela Hill. But the 31-year-old has been unable to build on that, falling to a crushing TKO loss at the hands of Jéssica Andrade last November and a narrow decision opposite Amanda Lemos at UFC 298 this past February.
If Dern is to rebound in the Middle East on August 3, she’ll have to send Loopy Godinez (12-4) onto a losing skid of her own. The Mexican climbed into the top 10 at 115 pounds on the back of a four-fight win streak that included a decision victory over Tabatha Ricci at UFC 295 last November. But in her bid to further climb the ranks in Atlantic City this past March, Godinez was outpointed by Virna Jandiroba.
This strawweight matchup was announced by the promotion.
The main card for #UFCAbuDhabi is set!!!@VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabi pic.twitter.com/yUK7VdaOAc
— danawhite (@danawhite) May 29, 2024
