Mackenzie Dern Dismisses Need for Rematch with Weili Zhang

Mackenzie Dern has expressed no desire to face Weili Zhang to prove the legitimacy of her UFC strawweight championship. Dern, 33, defended her title against Gillian Robertson at UFC 330 in Philadelphia on August 15, winning by unanimous decision.

Despite her successful defense, questions about her title's legitimacy remain, as Zhang vacated the belt to pursue another title in the flyweight division. Dern captured the vacant title by defeating Virna Jandiroba and has now defended it once, a feat not achieved by previous champions Jessica Andrade and Carla Esparza.

During the UFC 330 post-fight press conference, Dern stated she felt like a champion before winning the belt and does not believe she needs to defeat Zhang to solidify her status. Zhang has not been active in the division since vacating the title, focusing instead on lifestyle content on social media. Dern is aiming for her second title defense in early 2027, though Zhang's return remains uncertain.