Mackenzie Dern vs. Marina Rodriguez set to headline Oct. 9 UFC event

Rising strawweights Mackenzie Dern and Marina Rodriguez will collide in a five-round headlining bout at a UFC Fight Night event on Oct. 9, multiple people with knowledge of the booking told MMA Fighting. ESPN first reported the matchup.

The promotion has yet to officially announce the event and its location, but the card is expected to take place at Las Vegas’ UFC Apex and air live on ESPN+. Dern and Rodriguez are ranked No. 5 and 6, respectively, in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings.

Dern (11-1) is on a four-fight winning streak with a trio of first-round submissions over Nina Nunes, Randa Markos, and Hannah Cifers, boosting her octagon record to 6-1.

The multiple-time jiu-jitsu champion has only lost once as a professional MMA fighter, dropping a decision to Amanda Ribas in her first fight back from pregnancy in 2019.

Rodriguez (14-1-2) holds a win over Ribas in the UFC, having knocked out the Brazilian prospect in Abu Dhabi this past January. She won a five-round decision over Michelle Waterson in her most recent outing.

The only blemish in Rodriguez’s record came in a split decision loss to Carla Esparza in July 2020.