The UFC has booked a strawweight clash between Mackenzie Dern and Yan Xiaonan to headline an October event, multiple sources told ESPN on Friday.
Dern (12-2) is closing in on a potential title shot with victories in five of her past six contests. Her only loss during that time came in a main event slot against Marina Rodriguez last October. Rodriguez has won four in a row and is currently hunting her own title shot as the No. 3-ranked strawweight in the division.
Fighting out of Los Angeles, Dern is 7-2 overall in the UFC with four submission wins.
Yan (14-3), of China, has lost two in a row -- but those losses came against Rodriguez and current champion Carla Esparza. Prior to the two-fight skid, Yan had won six in a row inside the Octagon.
The winner of the bout should have an immediate high chance of a potential title shot, with the two sitting in the middle of the pack. This fight will set the scene for the top end of the category to play out.