Gi or no-gi, Mackenzie Dern has established herself as one of the best-rated and active female grapplers in the world of Jiu-Jitsu. Having multiple world championship titles in IBJJF, World Pro, and ADCC, Dern is one of the strongest prospects in the UFC as well. Her professional MMA record of 14 wins and just 5 defeats is enough to make her opponents tremble. On top of that, she has won 7 of her fights via submission, ensuring her stance in the strawweight division.
But do you know about the person who stood as a ladder for Dern to climb on? Of course, we’re talking about her father, Wellington Dias. Today, let’s take a deep dive into the strawweight prospect’s family and learn everything there is to know about her father.
Who is Mackenzie Dern’s father? What does he do?
Wellington Dias, Dern’s father, hails from Rio de Janeiro. The Brazilian is pretty famous in the world of mixed martial arts as one of the most captivating BJJ fighters. After all, he trained under the guidance of Romero ‘Jacare’ Cavalcanti, the last black belt of the legendary Rolls Gracie. Dias himself followed the example of his masters and became a well-respected BJJ instructor at Megaton Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. You got that right! Megaton BJJ is Dias’ own BJJ academy, situated in Phoenix, Arizona.
Needless to say, ‘Megaton’s life as a BJJ practitioner had a huge role in establishing Dern as a successful mixed martial artist. He ensured that Dern had exposure to the world of martial arts from a very young age. This helped the UFC strawweight prospect cultivate her skills and dominate the MMA cage with a strong sense of grappling.
It’s not just Dern who was inspired by Dias’ life as a BJJ master. Talking to the UFC back in 2022, the #6 strawweight contender said, “My dad still competes today, still trains like he’s 20 years old and it’s just so crazy to see how many people are inspired by him. It gives them hope, like, okay, this is something I can do when I’m a grandpa. He has his granddaughter and she was there and it really gives a lot of value to jiu-jitsu.”
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But many fight fans have often wondered about the reason behind Dias’ moniker. If you had the same question, then you’ve come to the right place. Let’s take a look at the story behind Dias’ nickname, ‘Megaton’.
Why is Dern’s father called ‘Megaton’?
During the early days of his fighting career, Dias was known for his explosive throws. It was literally like experiencing a megaton bomb. And that’s the reason why he got his nickname ‘Megaton’. Dias is actually the oldest competitor at the IBJJF Championship. On top of that, he’s the first coral belt to have ever stepped into the championship.
Well, that’s the 7th degree honor for masters of BJJ. As per UFC.com, Dern once reflected on her father’s achievement and said, “Very few people have the coral belt, you know? It’s 40 years as a black belt. It’s how much time he has been training and dedicating a lot of sweat, tears, blood into the sport, into our martial art. It’s really inspiring and I’m so proud of him.”
Now, Dern is set to land against Amanda Ribas in the strawweight division for 5 rounds at UFC Vegas 101. No doubt, the #6 women’s strawweight contender will deploy her father’s techniques and try to outwrestle Ribas on 11th January 2025. But who’s going to emerge victorious? That’s something only time has the power to tell. No matter the outcome, Dern will definitely make her father proud.
What are your thoughts on Dias’ achievements? Do you think Dern will have an advantage because of her family history? Drop down to the comments section and let us know what you think.
The post All About Mackenzie Dern’s Father Wellington ‘Megaton’ Dias appeared first on EssentiallySports.
