Mackenzie Dern doled out a comprehensive beating of veteran Angela Hill in the main event of UFC Vegas 73. Though many expected Dern to use her grappling to slow Hill down, she delivered a striking clinic en route to a dominant decision win.
Once the fight started, it looked like Hill would get the style of the fight she hoped for as Dern readily engaged her. However, it didn’t take long for Dern to set the stage for what would tell the story of the fight. Dern slammed Hill to the canvas, then floored her with a solid shot. A bewildered Hill was fortunate to be about her wits and avoid Dern’s submission attempts and escape the round, but she looked out of answers with two rounds to go.
Dern continued her relentless assault in the second. Though Hill managed to outwork Dern in the later half of the round, Dern began to turn the tide. The third round saw Dern effectively beating the fight out of Hill, with rounds four and five just being mere formalities.
Overall, Dern delivered the best performance of his career. She landed 126 total strikes, a career-best, and displayed total dominance against a striker who many expected her to struggle against in the stand-up.
The scorecards came out to 49-43, and two scores of 49-44 for Dern. One judge scored three rounds 10-8, whereas two others scored one. That being said, it was a beatdown from beginning to end in the most unexpected manner.
Dern moves to 13-3, and she has her eye on ex-champ Rose Namajunas for her next fight.
“I never fought an ex-champion. I feel like I could have that opportunity now.”
The resilient Hill drops to 15-13. Still a viable challenger, but not good enough to break into the elite.
