Mackenzie Dern Battles Xiaonan Yan Atop UFC Fight Night Event on Oct. 1

Depending on how this October headliner shakes out, the Ultimate Fighting Championship could have a top strawweight contender on deck.

According to ESPN on Friday, the Oct. 1 UFC Fight Night event – one that does not currently have a location designated – will have a strawweight headliner. The five-round main draw comes between Mackenzie Dern (12-2) and Xiaonan Yan (15-3), which comes between two women currently ranked in the top five of their division.

Dern bounced back from a 25-minute decision defeat to Marina Rodriguez in October 2021 by claiming a split verdict over the resurgent Tecia Torres in April. That loss to Rodriguez halted a four-fight win streak with three submissions, as she tapped Nina Nunes, Randa Markos and Hannah Cifers on her way up the 115-pound rankings. Beyond Rodriguez, the only other woman to beat Dern is Amanda Ribas, who also snagged a decision win over Dern in 2019. As a pro, the Arizona native celebrates nearly 60% of her wins by submission.

Unlike her opponent, Yan has never won a fight by tapout, with every stoppage for her coming due to strikes. A professional since 2008, the woman from China is currently on the first-ever losing streak. A six-bout win streak inside the Octagon led to a match with former and future champ Carla Esparza, and Yan suffered the first knockout loss of her career. An attempt at a rebound led to her meeting Rodriguez, and like Dern, Yan lost on the scorecards. Prior to those two losses, “Fury” had amassed a 13-fight unbeaten streak.

The UFC’s Fight Night offering on Oct. 1 is still under consideration for its venue. Aside from the aforementioned new headliner, four additional fights are already booked for its billing. At bantamweight, Guido Cannetti takes on Randy Costa. In the lightweight division, Vinc Pichel squares off with Jesse Ronson. Finally, two women’s bouts are listed, including a 145-pound contest between Leah Letson and Chelsea Chandler, and a strawweight clash pitting Tabatha Ricci against Cheyanne Vlismas.