Mackenzie Dern Husband: Inside The UFC Star’s High-Profile Relationship, Divorce, And Career Resurgence

UFC strawweight contender Mackenzie Dern has drawn significant public interest not only for her world-class Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills but also for her turbulent personal life. For years, fans followed her marriage to professional surfer Wesley Santos, a relationship that ultimately ended in a heavily publicized and legal battle. As of August 2026, Dern remains focused on her fight career and co-parenting her daughter, having put the high-stress marital dispute behind her.

From Surf to Octagon: The Marriage and High-Profile Split

Mackenzie Dern married Brazilian professional surfer Wesley Santos in 2019, the same year the couple welcomed their daughter, Moa. The pair initially presented a united front on social media, balancing Santos’s surfing endeavors with Dern’s rapid rise through the UFC ranks. However, the relationship fractured in 2022, leading to a bitter separation that quickly spilled into courtrooms.

The divorce proceedings in 2023 drew widespread MMA media coverage due to mutual allegations exchanged during court filings. Dern revealed that the split was emotionally and financially draining, involving contentious disputes over spousal support, property division, and legal fees.

• Financial Strain: Dern publicly noted that legal requirements forced her to cover temporary spousal support and pay a significant portion of legal expenses during the proceedings.
• Mutual Allegations: Court documents included allegations of domestic altercations from both parties, though no criminal charges resulted from the civil divorce filings.
• Final Settlement: The divorce was finalized in late 2023, establishing joint custody of their daughter while granting Dern emotional closure to rebuild her athletic career.

Managing Single Motherhood and Fight Camp Adjustments

Following the dissolution of her marriage, Dern spoke candidly about the difficulties of balancing elite combat sports with single parenting. In multiple interviews leading into her recent fight camps, she acknowledged that the stress of the marital fallout directly impacted her preparation for past bouts in the Octagon.

To regain her competitive edge, Dern reorganized her coaching staff and physical preparation routines. She relocated primary training operations to ensure a stable schedule for her daughter, Moa, while maintaining a grueling fight camp schedule.

• Co-Parenting Structure: Dern and Santos maintain a legal joint-custody arrangement, allowing Moa to spend time with both parents while Dern manages her UFC contract obligations.
• Financial Renewal: Free from ongoing spousal support obligations, Dern restructured her personal management team to maximize fight purses and sponsorship revenue.
• Mental Resilience: Dern credits her daughter as her primary motivation for overcoming the personal turmoil, channeling her experiences into a renewed mindset inside the cage.

Looking Ahead: Dern’s 2026 UFC Strawweight Title Push

Now firmly removed from the shadow of her divorce, Mackenzie Dern is entirely focused on the UFC strawweight division landscape in 2026. Known for her elite submission game and multiple world Jiu-Jitsu titles, Dern has worked diligently to refine her striking and wrestling defense to match top-tier contenders.

With her personal life stabilized and her training environment optimized, Dern continues to target high-profile matchups against top-five ranked contenders. Her ability to navigate a painful public divorce while remaining a top-ranked UFC athlete highlights her resilience, keeping her firmly in position for a potential future title opportunity.