It’s quite a burden to take on when you decide to become a fighter for a living. So, how do you handle the pressure? For Mackenzie Dern, the answer lies in a furry companion who stays by her side at all times. The #6th ranked UFC strawweight fighter is all set to headline the first fight card of 2025 against Amanda Ribas in a strawweight clash. The fight might be intriguing, but what was more interesting was the fact that the fighter showed up on the media day with an emotional support dog.

It was quite a surprise for the media personnel, considering they were not accustomed to witnessing such a massive fury on media day. So, why does the fighter require an emotional support dog? Let’s find out.

The reason Mackenzie Dern had her emotional support dog at a press conference

The last time Mackenzie Dern came face-to-face against Amanda Ribas, she suffered a brutal defeat, however, this time the #6th ranked fighter is up for a revenge match and this time her 1-and-a-half-year-old Italian Mastiff named Mack is with her to face the demons of overthinking. At the press conference, a reporter couldn’t help but ask Dern about Mack in the press conference, “…biggest service dog I’ve ever seen. Curious why you felt the need to bring your security with you today?”

Dern laughed at the question before she gave clarity as to why her dog was a necessary part of her fight camp. She said, “He helps me a lot just being comfortable and I’m kind of trying to stay as calm as I can. I think what I’m most needing in my fights is composure, and to kind of just go into the Apex one more time and just feel like it’s a training session.”

She further added, “He goes to the gym with me and everything like that, and Moa [Dern’s five-year-old daughter] is going to be here on Friday. So it’s kind of the best way to just keep me relaxed and not getting all my nerves up too high.”

Well, the fighter has every reason to feel anxious about her upcoming match against Ribas. Their initial encounter was the turning point of Dern’s career. The then-undefeated fighter suffered her first loss in the UFC. Let’s have a look at how her career changed after her fight against Ribas.

Dern details how her career changed after her first loss

Mackenzie Dern was a bit vulnerable in her first outing against Amanda Ribas, the then-undefeated fighter was just a few months removed from giving birth to her first daughter, besides that, she lost touch with the Octagon because her previous team had less Octagonal experience. These factors made the transition to her first loss within the UFC clear.

While having a conversation with the media, Dern emphasized, “I feel like I was such a different person back then. It doesn’t even feel like that was me. I feel like I’m a totally different person. And it was three rounds. I think we’re at totally different phases of our careers. I’ve evolved in striking and wrestling and takedowns, just so much experience.”

When the reporters asked her if she regrets fighting immediately after giving birth, Dern stated that she had a bit of regret, “A little bit, yeah. I think I still would have losses in my career, and I’m still happy with where I’m at today. I think it’s what made me be who I am today, so I can’t say ‘I totally regret it’, but I think if I could go back again, I would wait a little bit longer.” Mackenzie Dern has a chance to take revenge on her first loss, but will she be able to get past her demons? Only time will tell. What are your thoughts on the match? State your opinion in the comments below.