Mackenzie Dern seeks redemption against Gillian Robertson at UFC 330.
Dern is the reigning champion, looking to cement her title with a convincing performance against Robertson, who has the potential to become the first Canadian woman to win the UFC championship.
The two fighters faced off at the ceremonial weigh-in, where Dern was seen as a comfortable favorite at -215, while Robertson was the underdog at +180.
The strawweight championship co-main event is set to take place at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Saturday.
Dern has been ranked at No. 7 on the MMA Fighting Pound-for-Pound chart, while Robertson is No. 6 at 115 pounds in the Global Rankings.
Dern became champion in October at UFC 321, where she defeated Virna Jandiroba to win a belt vacated by Zhang Weili.
Robertson, on the other hand, has been on a five-fight winning streak and holds the record for the most UFC submissions by a female fighter (7).
The first round saw Dern take control, with MMA Fighting scoring it 10-9 in her favor.
Dern's aggressive jab and takedown attempts set the tone for the round, as she controlled Robertson's head and eventually got the takedown.
Robertson managed to break free and land a few jabs, but Dern's power advantage and lateral movement kept her at bay.
The second round saw Dern continue her dominance, with MMA Fighting scoring it 10-9 for the champion.
Dern's confidence was evident, as she sliced through Robertson's guard and moved to take the back.
Robertson's calm demeanor was no match for Dern's technique, as the champion stayed heavy and hunted for a kimura.
The third round saw Robertson try to mount a comeback, but Dern's boxing skills kept her at bay.
Robertson landed a few short uppercuts in the clinch, but Dern's lateral movement and excellent footwork kept her guessing.
MMA Fighting scored the round 10-9 for Dern, who took a commanding lead.
The fourth round saw Dern continue her relentless attack, with MMA Fighting scoring it 10-9 for the champion.
Dern's aggression and technique allowed her to stay on top, despite Robertson's attempts to slip out of position.
The Canadian challenger managed to end up on top, but time was ticking away, and Dern was still on the offense.
The fifth and final round saw Robertson chase Dern, throwing out strikes in a desperate bid to salvage the performance.
Robertson took the round, but it was too little too late, and Dern was declared the winner by unanimous decision.
The victory cements Dern's status as the true queen of the strawweight division, and she will look to continue her dominance in the coming months.
Source: Yahoo Sports