MMA fans were treated to an unusual yet entertaining crossover this week when UFC strawweight Mackenzie Dern taught viral sensation Haliey Welch—better known as “Hawk Tuah Girl”—how to apply a chokehold on former NFL MVP Adrian Peterson. The lighthearted moment occurred during the Celebrity Poker Tour’s latest high-profile event.
Mackenzie Dern’s Viral Choke Tutorial Leaves Fans Stunned
The poker game was briefly halted when Welch playfully attempted to grapple with Peterson. Seizing the moment, Dern got up from the table to demonstrate how to properly execute a submission choke. The interaction, posted to X, quickly went viral. While the event was all in good fun, fans on social media had mixed and humorous reactions.
Mackenzie Dern shows Hawk Tuah how to choke.pic.twitter.com/qxZiD6bJmg
— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) May 4, 2025
One user commented, “Insane crossover,” highlighting the bizarre nature of seeing a professional UFC fighter coaching a meme-famous personality against a former NFL player. Another noted the intensity of the moment: “That sunk in the second you see him grab her arms.” However, not everyone was amused, as one viewer posted, “Show some respect to AP,” in defense of the NFL legend.
Show some respect to ap
— Cody Wiseman (@codydubb51017) May 4, 2025
A Look at Mackenzie Dern’s UFC Journey
Mackenzie Dern’s UFC career has been a dynamic mix of highlight-reel submissions, setbacks, and comebacks, showcasing her evolution from a decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion to a seasoned strawweight contender. Since debuting at UFC 222 in March 2018 with a split-decision win over Ashley Yoder, Dern has consistently remained in the spotlight.
She quickly followed up with a slick first-round rear-naked choke submission over Amanda Cooper at UFC 224, although controversy surrounded her missing weight. After a maternity hiatus, Dern returned in 2019 but suffered her first professional loss to Amanda Ribas. Undeterred, she bounced back with four consecutive wins, including historic submissions over Hannah Cifers and Randa Markos — the former making her the first woman in UFC history to win via. leg lock.
In 2021, she secured an impressive armbar win over Nina Nunes and earned three “Performance of the Night” bonuses in under a year. While losses to Marina Rodriguez and Yan Xiaonan slowed her ascent, she rebounded with a gritty win over Tecia Torres. Dern’s unanimous decision win over Angela Hill in 2023 earned her another “Fight of the Night” bonus before suffering a TKO loss to Jéssica Andrade later that year.
She continued her journey into 2024 with a loss to Amanda Lemos but came back strong, defeating Loopy Godinez and submitting Amanda Ribas in their 2025 rematch, earning another performance bonus.
As of now, Mackenzie Dern holds a professional MMA record of 15 wins and five losses.