“For me, it was a surprise that it was the first because it’s so common for us,” Dern said of leglock finishes in the jiu-jitsu community. “Now I’m like, okay, let me look at all my jiu-jitsu submissions that are so common for us because I’m going to start letting them out.”
Dern plans to unleash some more unique finishes to add to her chances of getting that Submission of the Year title. And after deciding to hold off for a bit after the fight against Cifers and have a full camp, she may get a chance this weekend against Markos.
“I couldn’t be happier to have a full camp. I felt like I evolved so much in these four months,” Dern said. “The people who know me from my first UFC notice how much better I look and that I’m starting to show my true potential.”
The skills have always been there. But it sounds like Dern’s added confidence has come as a result of an increased focus on the mental game. She admits that before her pregnancy, she had missed weight before and other times would go on vacation after a fight. Those days are long gone.
“Now that I’m at this new level of a fighter, I’m going to put pressure on and the fans are really going to enjoy it,” Dern said.