Amanda Lemos and MacKenzie Dern faced each other at the UFC Fight Pass, strawweight category in Anaheim, Calif. The match turned out to be entertaining, with Amanda Lemos displaying her superior striking skills. McKenDern also came in with alot energy and tenacity while displaying her high-level jiu-jitsu skills. Lemos, had just lost her last fight against title fighter Zhang Weili the previous year, and was looking to make a statement and return to the winning block. MacKenzie also came into the cage looking to score a win after getting knocked out by former UFC champion Jessica Andrade. She hoped to turn the fight around and earn a win but unfortunately couldn’t get past Lemos.
Lemos started the match with a couple of hard kicks to the legs and some body shots. Dern followed with a round of combos that didn’t quite hit the mark. Swelling on Dern’s left leg became evident in the early round, but she scored a nice takedown midway before it became a liability. She grappled Lemos before going for a side control while Lemos worked into a half-guard. Dern landed a couple of strikes and tried for a combo that might lead to a submission in the last seconds of the first half.
Round two began with a body kick from Lemos and sharp striking. Precise punches destabilized Dern, and she fell to the canvas, but she kept her defenses up and her face covered. She followed through with vicious shots and double jabs that almost led the referee to stop the match, but Dern regained her composure, and the opponents got back on their feet and were back striking. Dern went for a leg kick, but Lemos responded with a calf kick that toppled Dern. She attempted a takedown, but Lemos reversed and threw an elbow. Dern managed to stay on top for the last seconds of the round.
The third round began with Lemos’s leg kicks and Dern’s right hand. Lemos scored a beautiful takedown, but Dern went for a leg lock from the bottom. Lemos tried to get her way back on top, but Dern offered no leeway and applied more pressure. Dern got on top, but her opponent entered a half-guard and tried to survive the round. Lemos tried to use the fence as leverage, but Dern pulled her away. Dern lands an elbow, but her rival gets right back on her feet. Dern tried for another takedown, but Lemos reversed the position, ending up on top and landing a couple of strikes before the final round ended.
All three judges saw the match in Amanda Lemos’s favor, winning her unanimous decision. She is to battle Tatiana Suarez in her next bout, but the match is currently unconfirmed due to Suarez’s injury. On the other hand, Dern stepped away with her second consecutive defeat, but her return to another UFC battle is inevitable. The intensity and ferociousness of the battle earned the performance “Fight of the Night” honors by the UFC. The fighters also took home an additional $50,000 bonus after the fight.
