UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Rodriguez
| Company type | Mixed martial arts event |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sports entertainment |
| Founded | October 9, 2021 |
| Headquarters | Enterprise, Nevada , United States |
Area served | Las Vegas Metropolitan Area |
| Parent | Ultimate Fighting Championship |
UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Rodriguez, also referred to as UFC Fight Night 194, UFC Vegas 39, and UFC on ESPN+ 52, was a mixed martial arts competition organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on October 9, 2021. The event took place at the UFC Apex facility located in Enterprise, Nevada, within the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area.
Background
The main event featured a women's strawweight clash between Marina Rodriguez and Mackenzie Dern.
A middleweight matchup between Phil Hawes and Deron Winn had been planned but was canceled after Winn withdrew shortly before the event due to health concerns. Although Chris Curtis was briefly considered as a substitute, Hawes declined to face him, resulting in the bout being removed from the card.
Featherweight fighters Michael Trizano and Chas Skelly were scheduled to compete; however, Skelly withdrew for undisclosed reasons, leading to the cancellation of their fight.
The middleweight contest involving Jamie Pickett and Laureano Staropoli was postponed to a later date after Pickett’s coach tested positive for COVID-19.
In the women’s strawweight division, promotional newcomer Silvana Gómez Juárez replaced Sam Hughes, who tested positive for COVID-19, to face off against Lupita Godinez.
During the official weigh-ins, Jared Gooden failed to make weight for his welterweight bout against Randy Brown, coming in three pounds over the limit. The fight continued at catchweight, with Gooden surrendering 20% of his fight purse to Brown as a penalty.
Bonus awards
Each of the following fighters earned $50,000 bonuses:
- Fight of the Night: Marina Rodriguez vs. Mackenzie Dern
- Performance of the Night: Lupita Godinez and Mariya Agapova