The Brazilian-American strawweight Mackenzie Dern has built her UFC career around this shoulder lock, turning what many consider a low-percentage submission into her signature weapon. Soon she will be coompeting for the vacant strawweight world title at UFC 321. Ahead of her October 25 matchup, she refelected on her championship career in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Mackenzie Dern's Favorite Submission
On her favorite submission, speaking during a pre-fight UFC 321 press conference, she explained:
“My favorite submission is the omoplata. I attack it a lot — I did it against Amanda Ribas, Marina Rodriguez, Yan Xiaonan. Even if I don’t finish it, it’s always there. But whatever happens, I just see myself winning.”
Omoplata
The omoplata might not look like much from the outside, but for Mackenzie Dern, it represents a blend of technique, strategy, and opportunity. The omoplata, which means "scapula" in Portuguese, uses the legs and hips to hyperextend an opponent's shoulder joint beyond its normal range of motion. The technique involves placing one leg under the opponent's armpit and rotating 180 degrees, with the leg moving over the opponent's back and around their arm. The submission is completed by controlling the opponent's body and applying pressure to force the shoulder into an unnatural position.
What makes Dern's relationship with the omoplata particularly fascinating is how she employs it as a multi-tool rather than just a finishing move. Against Marina Rodriguez in 2021, Dern secured an omoplata on Rodriguez's back but couldn't complete the submission before time expired. Similarly, in her battle with Yan Xiaonan, she used the omoplata to transition into an arm triangle choke, demonstrating the technique's versatility as a gateway to other attacks.
UFC and BJJ
Her most recent victory against Amanda Ribas showcased this perfectly. With about a minute remaining in the second round, Dern threw up an omoplata to escape a bad position, using it as a defensive tool before eventually winning via armbar in the third round. This sequence highlighted how the omoplata serves multiple purposes in her game.
Dern's mastery of this technique stems from her extraordinary Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu background. She holds a third-degree black belt under her father Wellington "Megaton" Dias, himself a coral belt and BJJ legend. Her competitive resume reads like a who's who of grappling achievements: 2015 ADCC World Champion, multiple-time IBJJF World Champion, and the only female competitor to win gold medals at all five major IBJJF Gi championships.
Her father's influence cannot be overstated. Wellington Dias, who earned his nickname "Megaton" for his explosive judo-inspired throws, received his black belt from Royler Gracie at age 18 and became the first coral belt to compete at IBJJF World Championships. This lineage shows in Mackenzie's technical approach.
In the UFC, Dern currently holds the record for most submission wins in the women's strawweight division with five, tied for second-most in all UFC women's divisions. Her submission rate of 53% across 20 professional fights demonstrates how effectively she translates her grappling skills to mixed martial arts.
The technique's effectiveness lies in its deceptive nature. While opponents prepare for Dern's more obvious submission threats like armbars and rear naked chokes, the omoplata often appears organically from scrambles and transitions. Against Tecia Torres, she had both kimura and leg lock opportunities but acknowledged being "too respectful" with her finishing attempts. This mindset shift toward a more aggressive approach has coincided with her recent success.
Dern's use of the omoplata also is related to larger changes in modern Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Once considered a low-percentage technique, the omoplata gained prominence in the 1990s through innovators like Nino Schembri. Today, it's recognized as both submission and sweeping mechanism, exactly how Dern employs it in the octagon.
UFC 321
Her recent performance against Amanda Ribas demonstrated this evolution perfectly. Rather than hunting for the finish at all costs, Dern used the omoplata threat to create scrambles, improve positions, and ultimately set up the fight-ending armbar.
Mackenzie Dern is looking to use her favorite submission, the omoplata, this weekend when she faces Virna Jandiroba for the UFC strawweight world title live from Abu Dhabi.
