At UFC 321, which goes down this Saturday (Oct. 25, 2025) inside Etihad Arena on “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi, No. 1-ranked Virna Jandiroba will take on fan-favorite No. 5-ranked Mackenzie Dern for the vacant Strawweight title.
While most would assume a UFC world title fight automatically brings excitement, Thomas, who is frequently on UFC broadcasts, isn’t buying it.
“I mean this with all due respect,” Thomas told Anthony Smith on his “On Paper” podcast. “I’m trying to be as respectful, but has there ever been a more insignificant title fight in the history – not, maybe, in the history, but in the last recent memory? You get where I’m coming from, right? No one seems to even care or have batted an eye at this fight.”
Thomas and Smith both explained their reasoning, saying the matchup feels hollow because former champion Zhang Weili voluntarily vacated her belt to chase a second title in another division. In their eyes, the winner of Dern vs. Jandiroba will be holding a belt that Zhang likely reclaims the moment she comes back.
Dern, of course, has drawn criticism from fans and fighters alike for earning a title shot despite being 2-2 in her last four fights. Many believe she’s been pushed because she’s a recognizable name with crossover appeal — not necessarily because she’s the most deserving contender.
Still, Thomas believes the Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace has the skills to finally fulfill her potential — if she takes the fight seriously.
“If you look at some of Mackenzie’s performances, part of me thinks that she has a little Kevin Holland thing going on where she just hasn’t reached her potential,” Thomas said “She punches as hard as anybody in the division, she grapples as well as anybody in the division, she’s got gas for days, she doesn’t get tired…It’s just sometimes, she doesn’t seem like she even cares about fighting.”
“I’ve spoke to her on the desk, and she was like, ‘Oh, I didn’t really know how to shoot takedowns with punches,’ and she was already a professional and didn’t know these things, and I’m thinking, how did you make it so far?” Thomas concluded. “She’s really good on the ground, she’s very athletic, and she’s born for this. She’s been in combat her entire life. I feel as though, if she takes it seriously, I think she should win this fight pretty handily.”
Whether or not the fight feels “insignificant,” the opportunity in front of Dern is massive. A win over Jandiroba would make her the new UFC Strawweight champion and could set up a blockbuster unification bout with Zhang Weili down the line.
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 321 fight card, starting with the ESPN+/Disney+/FX “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. ET, before the main card start time at 2 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+).
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