Report | Mackenzie Dern to make UFC return on May 23 against Hannah Cifers

UFC strawweight standout Mackenzie Dern will make her return to the Octagon on May 23 against opponent Hannah Cifers.

The news comes from MMAFighting.com, who recently reported that verbal agreements are in place to have Dern and Cifers compete at the May 23rd event.

The UFC recently announced that they will hold their first event since the Covid-19 pandemic on May 9 in Jacksonville, Florida.

A location and venue for the tentatively scheduled May 23 event have yet to be released by the promotion.

Mackenzie Dern (7-1 MMA) was originally slated to compete against Ariane Carnelossi on April 25. However, due to the Covid-19 outbreak, Carnelossi was unable to leave Brazil and so Cifers stepped in to face Dern on short-notice.

The April 25 event was eventually scrapped entirely and so the UFC has now rebooked Dern vs. Cifers for their May 23 fight card.

Mackenzie Dern is coming off her first career loss to Amanda Ribas at UFC Fight Night: Tampa Bay in October of 2019. Prior to the setback, Dern has put together a perfect 7-0 record, which included four wins by way of submission.

Meanwhile, Hannah Cifers (10-4 MMA) most recently competed at January’s UFC Fight Night event in Raleigh, where she suffered a second round TKO loss to Angela Hill. The defeat snapped a two-fight winning streak for Cifers, who had previously defeated opponents Polyana Viana and Jodie Esquibel.

A headliner for the May 23 event has yet to be announced by the promotion, but with so many events targeted for the upcoming weeks, one could only assume that announcement will come shortly.

Who do you think will emerge victorious when Mackenzie Dern and Hannah Cifers square off in the Octagon on May 23? Share your thoughts in the comments section PENN Nation!

April 25, 2020

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