UFC strawweight contender Mackenzie Dern is making it clear that fighters are no longer on her dating radar. During her recent appearance on the JAXXON Podcast, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu icon opened up about her personal life and relationship preferences as she prepares for her title shot against Virna Jandiroba on October 25th in Abu Dhabi.
When asked about her dating preferences, Dern stated: “No, no. I’m running away from fighters.”
This revelation surprised the hosts, who assumed the UFC star exclusively dated athletes. Dern explained her criteria, stating, “Well, I mean after each relationship, I’m like… I’m adding stuff to my list, you know? So, I’m like, ‘Okay, well, definitely not that.’ So, I mean, I did a surfer. I don’t want to go back to No surfers. Fighters.”
Dern acknowledged that her previous relationships with combat sports athletes stemmed from proximity rather than preference. “I used to date like jiu-jitsu fighters, but just cuz that was kind of like the world I lived in, you know what I mean? So that’s the people you had contact all the time,” Dern explained. While she admitted those relationships had benefits, she’s now actively seeking someone outside the fighting world.
Following the apparent end of her second marriage to fellow grappler Antonio “Malvado” Trocoli, it seems like Dern has made it clear that dating within the UFC roster is now off-limits.
The relationship between Dern and Trocoli appeared to unravel dramatically after an October 2024 incident that surprised the MMA community. Trocoli was arrested for allegedly attacking Dern’s ex-husband, Wesley Santos, during what should have been a routine custody exchange for their daughter.
Interestingly, Dern and Trocoli never publicly confirmed their marriage. It was only through court filings submitted by Santos that fans learned the two had tied the knot. The revelation came amid the fallout from the October altercation.
In the immediate aftermath of the arrest, both Dern and Trocoli unfollowed each other on social media and scrubbed their accounts of all photos together. While neither party addressed the rumors publicly at the time, the combination of the arrest and their social media behavior made it abundantly clear that their marriage was in serious trouble.
Additionally, Dern’s personal life has been eventful, balancing motherhood with her demanding career. She spoke candidly about the challenges of co-parenting while training for the biggest fight of her life. “Yeah, it’s hard. Super hard,” she admitted when discussing the difficulties of managing homework schedules, training sessions, and court obligations.
Despite the podcast hosts’ playful attempts to match her with various UFC champions, including hypothetical pairings with Alex Pereira, Khamzat Chimaev, and others, Dern remained firm on her stance.
She even ruled out potential matches based on “girl code,” noting that dating within the same organization where ex-partners compete would be “messy.”
