Professional mixed martial artist Mackenzie Dern has revealed her post-MMA career aspirations during a recent appearance on the Talk Tuah podcast with Haliey Welch. The UFC strawweight contender, known for her Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expertise and submission skills, shared that she plans to transition into competitive bodybuilding once she hangs up her MMA gloves.
“I would like to go into like bodybuilding like I’m competitive, you know, so I need something to like push myself,”
Dern explained during the interview. The 31-year-old emphasized her need for goals and competitive outlets, viewing bodybuilding as a natural progression that would satisfy her drive while being less physically demanding than MMA.
Dern‘s interest in bodybuilding stems from her appreciation for the lifestyle and competitive nature of the sport.
“I think it would be like kind of and they and they their lifestyle and just kind of like digital influencer like off my bodybuilding journey kind of thing, you know,”
she said, indicating plans to document her transition and potentially build a following around her bodybuilding pursuits.
The star sees bodybuilding as maintaining the competitive element she craves while shifting focus from fighting opponents to personal achievement.
“It’s still competitive, you know, so you you still need to go up there on on the stage and compete and and test yourself against other people,”
Dern noted.
“It’s not so physical, you know, but then it goes to like a a personal like personal goal, you know, to get better than yourself the last time.”
Currently maintaining a fight weight of 115 pounds while walking around at approximately 135 pounds, Dern already follows a disciplined nutrition regimen that could easily translate to bodybuilding preparation. She detailed her current eating habits, explaining how she consumes clean foods like beef for lunch and chicken or fish for dinner, while avoiding red meat in the evenings.
The Brazilian-American star’s training routine already includes substantial weight training alongside her MMA preparation.
“I love to work out, you know, for me like just like lifting weights and you feel the burn,”
she shared, suggesting her passion for strength training could seamlessly transition into bodybuilding-focused workouts.
Dern‘s father, Wellington “Megaton” Dias, has been a significant influence on her athletic development and physique-focused mindset. She fondly recalled how other children would ask to touch her father’s muscles when he picked her up from school, with him jokingly telling them he drank
“rock soup”
to get so muscular. This early exposure to fitness and physique development may have planted the seeds for her future bodybuilding interests.
The timing of this career pivot remains uncertain, as Dern continues to compete actively in the UFC’s strawweight division. However, her comments suggest she’s already thinking strategically about life after fighting, recognizing the need to channel her competitive nature into a new outlet that won’t involve the physical trauma of mixed martial arts.
Dern also expressed interest in becoming a digital influencer focused on her bodybuilding journey, potentially creating content around supplements, training routines, and competition preparation.
“I could definitely like supplements and you know, like this is my supplement that I take, you know, I’d be I could I could do that stuff,”
she mentioned, indicating plans to monetize her expertise and document her transformation.
The mother of one currently maintains a rigorous training schedule of eight to nine hours daily, a work ethic that would serve her well in bodybuilding preparation. Her existing discipline with weight cutting, nutrition timing, and physical conditioning provides a strong foundation for the structured lifestyle required in competitive bodybuilding.
