Loopy Godinez knows exactly what he’s getting to in with Mackenzie Dern.
“I Do See A Lot Of Holes In Her Game”
Top-10 contenders at strawweight collide at UFC Abu Dhabi when #10-ranked Godinez meets #7 Dern on Aug. 3. Both fighters are looking to get back to the win column but Godinez has more to gain, with a higher ranking on the line. Mexico’s Godinez almost made it to the top five earlier this year but was halted by top contender Virna Jandiroba.
Dern’s a game opponent, showing her toughness and grit on the feet, but the ground is where the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt really thrives and it’s something the well-rounded Godinez will have to watch out for later this summer.
“She’s great on the ground,” Godinez told Middle Easy. “Of course, you know, she has been working on her hands and all her game to get better, of course. But, I do see a lot of holes in her game that we will capitalize on them and yeah, I really believe, truly feel that I have what it takes to beat her.”
Only 3️⃣ days left until the return of 🇲🇽 Loopy Godinez when she faces the #10 ranked strawweight Tabatha Ricci at #UFC295.
— Women's MMA Rankings (@WMMARankings) November 8, 2023
Check out her explosive combo leading to a massive slam from her last bout, and then watch the finish in the next Tweet! 🥊🔥 #WMMA #UFC pic.twitter.com/bHSGg4E3W3
Godinez Says Dern Will Be Desperate For The Takedown
Dern has exchanged wins and losses in her last seven fights, going against some of the best fighters the strawweight division has to offer. Primarily a grappler, we’ve seen Dern get outgunned by opponents in the striking department before, leaving Godinez to think Dern will do whatever it takes to get this fight to the mat.
“I really think she’s gonna be desperate to take me down or somehow to drag me down to playing her game. I’ll be ready for that,” Godinez continued. “And the striking, I don’t think she will wanna hang with me upstairs, but you know, let’s see. I’m ready for whatever. If she wants to come flying, I’ll be ready for that. If she wants to start pacing herself, that’s also great for me. I’m ready for anything. I have so many different kind of [training] partners, different kind of views… I feel confident.”
Implications Of A Win
Ready for anything, Loopy Godinez refuses to look past the task at hand on Aug. 3, acknowledging a win over a high-profile name in Mackenzie Dern is a step in the right direction.
“I’m not looking too much into that,” Godinez said, when asked where a win puts her in the UFC Strawweight division. “I’m not trying to put too much on my plate, but I know a win over over Mackenzie, it will be huge for me. It will be huge for my career… I’m not even thinking about that, this is what I have next and she’s not an easy task either.”
Watch our full interview with Mackenzie Dern below!
