“Face is a horror show” – Mackenzie Dern’s BRUTAL facial transformation after beat down at UFC 298 has fans in shock

Mackenzie Dern gets her facial features changed after a 3-round fight with elite striker Amanda Lemos at UFC 298.

“Face is a horror show” – Mackenzie Dern’s BRUTAL facial transformation after beat down at UFC 298 has fans in shock

Mackenzie Dern's facial characteristics change during the bout with Amanda Lemos at UFC 298 (via X/FloCombat)

The bout between Mackenzie Dern and Amanda Lemos was a fight of styles. Dern’s pressure-heavy ground game and Lemos’ explosive striking had everybody in anticipation. However, Dern suffered a brutal beatdown at UFC 298, leaving the strawweight contender nearly unrecognizable.

Dern stepped up on short notice to face Amanda Lemos. But she paid the price, absorbing a lot of strikes over three rounds. Lemos battered Dern with crisp punches and kicks. Her superior striking skills bloodied and swollen Dern’s face. By the final bell, Dern was battered and bruised. Her face showed the effects of 15 minutes of punishment.

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The damage was evident when Dern stood for the decision. Her left cheek ballooned massively. Her right eye swelled nearly shut. Blood trickled down her face. Dern’s legs also showed heavy bruising from Lemos’ kicks. Dern’s corner seemingly made mistakes as well. They didn’t ice her left shin between rounds as it swelled, as Joe Rogan noticed. Dern also lacked head movement during exchanges, in addition to other mistakes. This left her face exposed to Lemos’ accurate shots.

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Dern was nearly unrecognizable after the fight. Hematomas distorted her facial features, and her skin was split open by Lemos’ fists. This loss raises questions for Dern as she is now on a two-fight losing streak, the recent loss to Jessica Andrade. 

Fight fans react to Mackenzie Dern’s face-changing bout

MMA fans reacted viscerally to Mackenzie Dern’s battered and swollen face at UFC 298. Dern was nearly unrecognizable after a brutal three-round beating. Her horrific facial injuries at the hands of Amanda Lemos shocked viewers.

Fight fans react to Mackenzie Dern getting a beatdown
Fight fans react to Mackenzie Dern getting a beatdown (via YouTube)

The visual damage from Lemos’ strikes shocked fight fans on social media. Some fight fans applauded Dern’s resolve and toughness. Others felt the fight should have been stopped earlier when Dern was rocked. Here are some of the reactions from fight fans:

Dern’s face dominated MMA forums and social media. This shows how much effective striking can matter in an MMA fight. Dern also dominated some of the fights, but her face tells a different story. Fight fans are now curious about what the future holds for Mackenzie Dern.

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