‘The Iron Lady’ and the Den of Lions
Her name is Mackenzie Dern, and she is the current Women’s Strawweight Division title holder. She accomplished this against strong competition through grit and hard work. In the UFC, she has been active since 2018, and 2026 will mark the champion’s first full year of title defenses. Overall, she has secured most of her victories by judges’ decisions and submissions. The lioness does have the potential to notch a TKO/KO in her fight history this year due to her tendency to target her opponents’ heads. If her strategy has carried her this far, there is little incentive to change it. She is a champion, although the fighters in her division may eventually force her to adjust that habit.
Specifically, the top five contenders threatening her position are Zhang Weili, Tatiana Suarez, Virna Jandiroba, Yan Xiaonan, and Amanda Lemos. Weili currently sits in the number one spot in the Women’s Strawweight Division, with Suarez, Jandiroba, Xiaonan, and Lemos ranked second through fifth, respectively. Weili targets her opponents’ heads as frequently as Dern, though she has had more success securing wins by TKO/KO. She also has more total fights on her résumé than Dern. Suarez has fewer fights than Dern and still room to grow, yet her development shows comfort in mixing strategies. That approach includes wins by knockout and submission, with several finishes coming in the first round. Jandiroba appears to favor grappling even more than Dern. Most of her victories have come via submission, making her a strong stylistic match for Dern’s experienced ground game. A title shot for Jandiroba would present a compelling and evenly matched contest. Lemos and Xiaonan are among the division’s most dangerous finishers, joining Weili as consistent threats for TKOs/KOs. If either were to challenge for the title, Dern would likely need to adjust her approach.
Altogether, the competitive landscape of the Women’s Strawweight Division is filled with potential matchups that could lead to title defenses drawing massive audiences. Some of those bouts could even take place at UFC venues such as Qudos Bank Arena, which can seat slightly more than 21,000 fans. Much depends on Dern’s choices, as accepting a title defense is never taken lightly. She is clearly focused on growth in 2026, and she is surrounded by opponents capable of pushing her forward in her career. On average, if the champion accepts a fight, it is likely to go the full distance. She is a closer who enjoys breaking down opponents on the ground, though she is also capable of doing so on the feet. Either way, it would be highly entertaining to watch Dern defend her title as the Women’s Strawweight Division champion.
