UFC Vegas 73 will see the return of female strawweight fighter, Mackenzie Dern. She is set to take on Angela Hill in the main event of the card on May 20. Other than the headliners, UFC veteran lightweight fighter Michael Johnson will feature in the opening bout of the card. Other than that, viral KO artist, Joaquin Buckley, will fight Andre Fialho on the main card as well.
Mackenzie Dern is coming off a loss against Yan Xiaonan in her last bout in October 2022. As a matter of fact, she has 2 losses and only 1 win in her last 3 bouts. Once touted to be a title contender, Mackenzie Dern has fallen onto some hard times. From turbulence in her personal life to problematic performances inside the Octagon, a lot has gone wrong for the BJJ maestro.
DERN vs HILL! #UFCVegas73 is LIVE TOMORROW on @ESPNPlus! pic.twitter.com/5u8iz9bFOw
— danawhite (@danawhite) May 19, 2023
Hence, she would look to make a strong return this Saturday. However, taking on Angela Hill is not an easy prospect for any fighter. While Hill is not the best in her class, she is extremely durable and never gives up inside the cage.
Prior to her last two successive wins over Lupita Godinez and Emily Ducote, Hill lost 5 of 6 fights. Interestingly, no fighter has been able to finish her via KO in the UFC. So how does the fight play out this weekend? Let’s break down the fight and look at the stats to see who will be the favorite this weekend.
UFC Fight Night: Mackenzie Dern vs Angela Hill, Stats
Stats | Mackenzie Dern | Angela Hill |
---|---|---|
Wins | 12 | 15 |
Losses | 3 | 12 |
Height | 1.63 m | 1.6 m |
Division | Women’s Strawweight | Women’s Strawweight |
Reach | 160 cm | 163.8 cm |
Age | 30 | 38 |
Dern vs Hill: Fight Breakdown
Angela Hill holds an MMA record of 15 wins and 12 losses. While 10 of her wins came via judges’ decisions, Hill has managed to knock out 5 of her opponents. Aside from 2 submission losses, Hill has not suffered any KO/TKO losses in her 9-year career so far. According to UFC Stats, Hill lands 5.68 strikes per minute and absorbs 4.97 strikes at the same time.
As for her grappling game, Hill holds a takedown defense of 77% and averages 0.58 takedowns per 15 minutes. But, that is exactly where she will have a massive disadvantage against Mackenzie Dern.
Dern, whose Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills are unparalleled, will be a massive favorite to get a submission win. Although her grappling stats of 0.61 takedowns per 15 minutes and takedown accuracy of 11% does not strike fear in her opponents on paper, Mackenzie’s grappling keeps her opponents on notice throughout the bout.
Dern, who has a 12-3 MMA record, has 7 submission wins in her career. But where she lacks, is striking. Dern is currently averaging only 3.02 strikes per minute while absorbing 4.39 strikes per minute.
So the bout ultimately comes down to Hill’s striking vs Dern’s grappling. But, Dern holds a size advantage and is 8 years younger than Hill. If she gets a hold of Hill, a submission is inevitable and that’s what makes her a favorite to win the contest.