Mackenzie Dern vs. Yan Xiaonan set to headline UFC Fight Night event on Oct. 1

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has found its headlining act for an upcoming “Fight Night”-themed event on Oct. 1, 2022. According to ESPN, Mackenzie Dern will face Yan Xiaonan in a pivotal women’s Strawweight bout.

Dern — ranked No. 4 — got back on the winning track by defeating Tecia Torres via razor-thin split decision at UFC 273 this past April. Prior to that victory, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace saw her four-fight win streak go out the window at the hands of Marina Rodriguez.

As for Yan, she is also coming off a loss to Rodriguez, her second straight defeat. Prior to that setback, the Chinese-born combatant suffered a second round technical knockout defeat at the hands of current division champion, Carla Esparza.

A win her for Xianoan — ranked No. 5 — won’t exactly put her in a championship fight; however, it will stop the bleeding of the longest losing streak of her career and prevent her from falling out of the Top 5. The ESPN+-streamed event will also feature a Bantamweight bout between Randy Costa and Guido Cannetti, while Vince Pichel takes on Jesse Ronson in a Lightweight bout.

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