One of the greatest fights in the history of women’s MMA, if not the greatest fight in the history of women’s MMA, now has its rightful place in the UFC Hall of Fame.
The UFC 248 women’s strawweight championship contest between Weili Zhang and Joanna Jedrzejczyk has been announced as the newest inductee into the UFC Hall of Fame Class of 2026, as part of its Fight Wing.
The announcement was made during the UFC 326 broadcast. It marks the first women’s fight to be honored in the UFC Hall of Fame.
Over five rounds, the two women clashed relentlessly, putting on jaw-dropping striking displays against one another. Jedrzejczyk displayed strong combinations, while Zhang found great success with her powerful punching.
Neither fighter appeared to slow down their momentum, and nearly all five rounds could have fallen either fighters’ way. Jedrzejczyk sported a massive hematoma on her head by the fight’s end, but the two went pillar to post, back-and-forth for a full 25 minutes.
Zhang earned the decision win, but both women were seen as winners after the fight, which earned 2020’s Fight of the Year honors.
This is Jedrzejczyk’s second UFC Hall of Fame induction, being named an individual entrant inducted into the Modern Wing in 2024.
The fight joins Dominick Cruz in the UFC Hall of Fame’s 2026 class.
While still in pursuit of another UFC title reign, former strawweight queen Jéssica Andrade is also targeting another type of championship…
Andrade has been searching for a path back to gold ever since Zhang Weili rendered her rule over the 115-pound weight class short-lived back in 2019. That’s been the case at both strawweight and flyweight, with the Brazilian unsuccessfully challenging for the belt in the latter division against Valentina Shevchenko three years ago.
“Bate Estaca” remains ranked highly in both weight classes and is coming off back-to-back triumphs at the weight she formerly held the title at. Next, however, she’s tasked with defending her #6 position on the 125-pound ladder.
Andrade will fight a fellow countrywoman for the third straight time at this weekend’s UFC Fight Night, sharing the cage with fast-charging striking specialist Natália Silva inside the Apex.
While a victory will no doubt see her remain focused on her goal of title crownings in multiple divisions, she’s also eyeing a piece of hardware that transcends divisional boundaries.
Andrade Reiterates Call For Women’s BMF Title
During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Andrade once again had her attention on the possibility of a symbolic BMF strap being introduced for the UFC’s women’s roster.
After Jorge Masvidal claimed it in a highly anticipated showdown with Nate Diaz five years ago, the BMF title has since been in the hands of Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway, both of whom claimed it by way of violent knockouts.
“I’ve been talking to Joanna (Jędrzejczyk) and she said she’d come back. If it’s for this belt, she would come back,” Andrade said. “I think that would be a good fight. Joanna, or maybe Angela Hill, who never walks away from a fight and is always there fighting everyone. Or Valentina. Any of those girls would be great, but I think it would be special if it’s Joanna. It would be better.”
Joanna Jędrzejczyk, a former UFC strawweight champion, called time on her career following a second defeat at the hands of Zhang at the Singapore-held UFC 275 in 2022. While the 37-year-old played her part in one of the greatest-ever fights first time around, “Magnum” recorded a more definitive victory in the rematch, flooring the Polish legend with a spinning backfist.
Jędrzejczyk has since been honored with an induction into the UFC Hall of Fame, entering the Modern Wing as part of the Class of 2024. But if Andrade is to be believed, a newly created BMF belt could provide enough of a draw for the Pole to reconsider hanging up her gloves.
Before continuing her push for that belt to be introduced, however, Andrade must handle business this weekend when she has her second Octagon assignment of 2024 thus far.
Joanna Jędrzejczyk believes we will hear “And Still” when Rose Namajunas rematches Carla Esparza sometime later this year at a date TBD.
Namajunas and Esparza first fought back in 2014 for the inaugural strawweight title which Esparza won by third-round submission in the finale of TUF 20. After that, Jędrzejczyk went on to beat Esparza to win the belt and had it until Namajunas knocked her out in 2017.
With Namajunas reclaiming the belt in 2021, she now appears set to rematch Esparza sometime this year. It’s an intriguing matchup as Esparza has had a career turnaround of sorts but in the rematch, Jędrzejczyk believes it will be Namajunas getting her hand raised this time around.
“I think that Rose will defend her belt,” Jedrzejczyk told MMA Junkie. “Carla won back in the day in 2014, but both of them are totally different fighters, different athletes with different mentality, as well, but I think that Rose will win this fight. She’s very strong. She’s very, very fast. Her timing is just perfect with her footwork. Of course, Carla has a few wins streak, but Rose is a different level, I think.”
If Rosa Namajunas does defeat Carla Esparza as Joanna Jędrzejczyk thinks it’s likely Marina Rodriguez would be next for the champ. However, the Pole has made it known she still wants the third fight against ‘Thug’ even though she’s 0-2 to the champ.
The plan for Jędrzejczyk is to rematch Weili Zhang sometime this year and should she win, she could very well earn another title shot. She still remains a big name in the sport and she could help sell the fight against Namajunas, which could happen sometime in 2023 as she looks to reclaim her belt.
Who do you think will win the fight between Rose Namajunas and Carla Esparza?
Seven years ago, another Russian MMA legend, Fedor Emelianenko, made very similar remarks. And then-champion Carla Esparza as well as Joanna Jędrzejczyk both were offended, not unlike Julianna Peña years later.
The following article was published on this day seven years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day Seven Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED MARCH 12, 2015, 1:48 PM]
At the UFC 185 open workouts on Wednesday, UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion Carla Esparza and number one contender Joanna Jędrzejczyk took exception to recent comments made by MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko.
During a recent WHOA TV interview, the former PRIDE Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko controversially stated that he felt MMA is a man’s sport, adding that women have no business fighting in MMA.
Esparza and Jędrzejczyk, who compete in the co-main event this Saturday night at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, disagree.
“I like him so much and he’s a living legend,” Jędrzejczyk said. “But I think we can do a pretty good job, you know? I think it’s not right. We can fight good, we can bring the audience and we can make the show better. That’s all.”
“Facts speak for themselves,” Esparza agreed. “He’s one of the greats. I have nothing against him. Maybe we differ a little bit in opinion. You know, I think Ronda and the crowd she brought in to LA, the proof is in the pudding. It shows right there.”
Esparza continued, “I think female MMA is basically the biggest female sport out there right now. We’re being put on the same stage as the guys, and obviously, Ronda is headlining even above all the guys. It just goes to show, we’re on top right now.”
“Some people are always going to feel the way they feel. But I think day-by-day, fight-by-fight, I’m hearing those whispers a lot less than I used to I think if we go out there and keep showing that we have skills, that we have heart — I feel like a lot of times girls bring it even more than the guys just with their tenacity and they’re just non-stop. That’s why it is where it is right now because they keep proving themselves.”
Esparza concluded, “We’re legit and we’re here to stay. Nothing is going to stop this momentum that’s been going with the women.”
What do you think about Fedor’s comments about WMMA?
UFC President Dana White likes the idea of a rematch between former UFC strawweight champions Joanna Jędrzejczyk and Zhang Weili.
Jędrzejczyk has been away from the Octagon for nearly two years since her first matchup with Weili at UFC 248. It was arguably the greatest fight in women’s MMA history as Weili earned a split-decision victory.
Joanna Jędrzejczyk and Weili Zhang
Despite the loss, many fans believed that Jędrzejczyk did enough to earn the win on the scorecards. Many believed that a rematch would take place eventually and it sounds like it could come to fruition later this year.
Jędrzejczyk held a guest fighter press conference at UFC 272. She hinted at her desire to fight Weili for her first fight back in the cage and attempt to settle the score between the former champions.
“Yeah, that’s the fight that makes sense,” White said.
Jędrzejczyk has previously touted the idea of a rematch with Weili and claimed that the UFC’s first-ever Chinese champion hasn’t been the same since their fight. Weili has lost back-to-back fights to Rose Namajunas and is looking to potentially earn another title shot down the line.
Jędrzejczyk has also suffered two losses to Namajunas but remains intent on reclaiming the UFC strawweight throne. Before her close loss to Weili, she earned dominant wins over Michelle Waterson and Tecia Torres.
Who wins in a Joanna Jędrzejczyk /Zhang Weili rematch?
Colby Covington says he knows why Joanna Jędrzejczyk does not take kindly to him, and it is because he rejected her advances years ago.
Colby Covington and Joanna Jędrzejczyk are two individuals who have very strong, alpha personalities. They aren’t afraid to say what is on their minds, even if it isn’t necessarily the popular thing to say at a given moment.
At one point, another thing they had in common is that they shared the same gym of American Top Team (ATT). Today, Jędrzejczyk continues to train out of ATT, but Covington parted ways with the gym when his feud with Masvidal became unmanageable.
While Covington was still at ATT, he and Jędrzejczyk butted heads, and the two have exchanged some shots since his exit as well.
Covington Claims He Rejected Jędrzejczyk’s Advances
In a recent interview with ESPN, Jorge Masvidal wondered why Covington would be talking trash about a woman at all, especially since there is no chance of the two ever fighting and generating money inside the Octagon.
“No journalist out there can go look at the timeline of events of who started running their mouth first,” Covington began. “I never said nothing to Joanna. I never said nothing to Dustin [Poirier]. They started getting jealous of my success and that I was rising up.
“And they’re such egomaniacs, they didn’t like that someone was next to them in the gym that was on that same level in the UFC. So they started trashing me in the media. ‘Oh, [BLEEP] Colby and his antics! Oh, he’s a piece of [BLEEP] person! Dirtbag, blah, blah!’ OK, yeah, you wanna say things about me? Don’t think I’m not gonna say the truth right back to you.
Joanna Jędrzejczyk
“So of course, I’m gonna come back at “The Boobie Woman” Joanna. You’re talking [BLEEP] about me before I’m getting ready for a title fight. I’ve never said one thing about you. I don’t care about you. You used to send me DMs after training, wanting to flirt with me and go out on dates. Just because I didn’t give you attention, Joanna, don’t get mad at me and talk [BLEEP].”
This is not the first time Covington has made claims about his dating life intertwining with his professional life. Last year, he said that he had sexual relations with UFC strawweight Polyana Viana, a claim the Brazilian described as “revolting.”
Regarding Jędrzejczyk, if Covington is to be believed, then it was him who found the thought of extracurricular activities with a colleague to be “revolting.” Should Covington’s remarks reach “The Boogeywoman,” a response could soon follow.
One thing for certain is that Jędrzejczyk will be cheering on Jorge Masvidal this Saturday when he takes to the Octagon with “ATT on his back” into his grudge match against the man who many team members consider persona non grata around the reputable gym.
What are your thoughts on Colby Covington’s comments about Joanna Jędrzejczyk?
Joanna Jędrzejczyk says welterweight star Jorge Masvidal will have the full support of American Top Team ahead of his fight at UFC 272.
Masvidal will square off against his former friend and former ATT teammate, Colby Covington in the UFC 272 headliner. It is arguably one of the most highly-anticipated grudge matches in UFC history.
Covington split from ATT amidst his rise in success in the UFC welterweight division. His trash talk combined with tense relationships with teammates such as Masvidal led to him moving to train at MMA Masters.
During a recent interview with The Schmo, Jędrzejczyk previewed the fight and why Masvidal is fighting for more than just bragging rights.
“Man, it’s a big fight,” Jędrzejczyk said. “It’s going to be one of the biggest fights of 2022. And Jorge Masvidal has (the) ATT nation behind his back, but Colby is hell of a fighter, very dedicated. I remember them both training here. They used to do training together for one and a half hours and do some extra training together after. So they both are very dedicated, very talented, but I feel like Jorge is going to surprise like he did in the fight with Ben Askren or Darren Till, for example.”
Masvidal has lost back-to-back fights to UFC Welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, who will be in attendance for the fight. He was originally slated to face Leon Edwards at UFC 269 before withdrawing from the fight due to an injury.
Covington and ATT have a very public and complicated history, and Masvidal will look to exact revenge for Jędrzejczyk, Dustin Poirier, and others who have been victims of Covington’s relentless banter.
What is your prediction for Jorge Masvidal vs. Colby Covington?
Former UFC strawweight champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk is ready to return to the title picture and not take a tune-up fight for her 2022 debut.
Jędrzejczyk has been inactive since UFC 248 in early 2020 when she lost in a split decision to then-strawweight champion Zhang Weili. Before that, she had won two of her previous three to get back into the thick of things in the strawweight division.
Some fans may believe that the two-year layoff that Jędrzejczyk has taken from the Octagon may be to her detriment. But she remains as poised and confident as ever ahead of her planned return to the cage later this year.
“People are like, ‘Oh, you should get an easy fight.’ There’s no easy fights in the UFC, especially this whole sport,” Jędrzejczyk said. “And the strawweight division, the women’s division is growing up. So the fight is a pleasure. And the hardest part is done so many weeks before, and it’s the training. So I never train easy. I always train hard…so I prefer to get the big fight and the money fight, and (I’m) patiently waiting, preparing here. And I will just be getting stronger and better.”
As for who Jędrzejczyk will face in her Octagon return, that remains unclear. Jędrzejczyk recently claimed that she had been offered a world title fight but opted not to sit out for the required time.
A rematch with Zhang Weili would certainly make sense for both women. Following her win over Jędrzejczyk, Weili went on to lose back-to-back fights to Rose Namajunas in 2021.
Who do you want to see Joanna Jędrzejczyk fight in her return to the cage?
Former UFC strawweight champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk thinks her former teammate Amanda Nunes won’t be a title challenger for long.
Nunes is without a second belt for the first time in a long time after losing to Julianna Peña at UFC 269. She still holds the women’s featherweight title, but it’s unclear if and when she’ll defend it this year.
During a recent interview with The Schmo, Jędrzejczyk was asked about Nunes’ chances in a rematch with Pena and if her departure from ATT may have anything to do with the result.
“I’m not looking (to make the story deeper than it is). And that’s it,” Jędrzejczyk said. “I made a similar decision a few years ago when I came (to American Top Team). It was her choice. She’s the champion, champion in two different divisions—in one now, but I really believe in her that she will be back to holding two belts in two different weight classes because she’s a beast.”
When asked to elaborate on Nunes’ decision to leave ATT, Jędrzejczyk expressed empathy and understanding behind Nunes’ decision-making process.
“And it was her choice. This level, you have to do what’s right for you and how you feel. And it’s not only about getting the best partners (and) training (in) the best facility. But it’s all about getting the good vibe and keep the balance. Because the mental preparation is as much important as the physical or even more important.”
Nunes will have the opportunity to get her belt back later this year in a rematch against Peña. As for Jędrzejczyk, she’s in a similar position as her former teammate as she works to return to the Octagon in 2022.
Do you think Amanda Nunes will get her bantamweight title back?
Joanna Jędrzejczyk is one of the biggest names in WMAA, but she believes there is one woman who will eclipse her and everyone else in terms of star power.
Joanna Jędrzejczyk is the former strawweight queen, with five successful title defenses on her résumé. Along the way and beyond, she has amassed over two million social media followers and has become one of the most recognized faces in all of WMMA.
Even still, Jędrzejczyk is giving credit to another woman as the biggest future name of WMMA. Often considered to have one of the healthiest egos in the sport, Jędrzejczyk humbly expressed that not only will there be another female fighter with a bigger name than herself, but that she won’t even be the biggest female star out of her own gym of American top Team.
That’s because of the bright future she sees ahead for ATT teammate and current free agent Kayla Harrison.
Marvin Vettori, Kayla Harrison, Michael Bisping (Image Credit: @judokayla on Instagram)
“I don’t know what’s good for her. I know she’s smart. She’s super-big inspiration to all of us,” Jędrzejczyk told Helen Yee Sports when discussing Harrison’s free agency. “This is what I love—when someone is focused on the prize. And she’s definitely one of the hardest-working athletes in the gym in general.
“She’s (a two-time) Olympian. And she’s special, and it’s good to have her here. She’s tough physically, mentally, she doesn’t give up, and she deserve to get paid. She’s already, but soon, she’s going to be the name Of women’s MMA.”
Kayla Harrison remains a free agent, and Jędrzejczyk is as much in the dark as the rest of the general public as to what Harrison’s next move will be. It had seemed as though a fourth year in the PFL was a lock for Harrison, but those talks recently hit a snag. Thus, all major promotions are on the table for the Olympian judoka, including Jędrzejczyk’s home of the UFC.
“I would love to see her in the UFC, but like I said, she has to get paid,” Jędrzejczyk continued. “She won PFL two times. She won a million bucks a few times, you know? She doesnt’ have to fight for small money. She always brings the extra attention. She always perform very well. So she needs to get paid, and I feel the UFC should consider having Kayla Harrison.”
Kayla Harrison is currently 12-0 in her MMA career, with every fight taking place in the Professional Fighters League. Both Bellator and the UFC have expressed interest in signing Harrison, and Harrison herself has stated that she is tired of the free-agency process. Therefore, it could be any day now when we find out where Harrison will take her services and star power as she helps lead WMMA into the future.
As far as money goes, Joanna Jędrzejczyk does not have to fight. Still, she knows that she’s missed out on a lot of money in her UFC career. Jędrzejczyk defended the strawweight championship belt five times but did not feel she was getting paid her worth.
Joanna Jędrzejczyk, Photo Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
“You’ve got to get paid as much as you can from this place, this time, and this situation. I feel like, every time, in everything I do in my life, I’m trying to give as much and get as much. But I feel like I missed some things in my fighting career, and I could get even more. Like money-wise, money fights, fight money, maybe. I can’t complain, but I feel like I should get more,” Jędrzejczyk told Punchin’ In.
Conor Mcgregor also makes big money outside of the UFC and has continued to earn millions after both losses to Dustin Poirier. McGregor made more money losing both his fights in 2021 than Jędrzejczyk made as the winningest strawweight champion of all time.
Even the heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou, took home only $600k after his successful title defense at UFC 270.
When fighters pour their blood, sweat, and tears into their performance, they can feel demeaned when they do not believe they are being paid sufficiently. That’s where the crucial negotiation aspect of the fight game comes in.
“Because when you fight for nothing, when you fight for no money, when they give you these big kinds of money and pay-per-view points, you’re so happy and you feel like, ‘Wow, I’m so lucky,’ but there is much more room to negotiate. But it’s all about the right people,” Jędrzejczyk continued.
We have not seen Joanna Jędrzejczyk since her loss against Zhang in 2020. Jędrzejczyk plans to fight twice this year in her anticipated return to Octagon activity.
Hopefully, the Polish fighter can negotiate a deal to her liking.
Are you excited to see Joanna Jędrzejczyk in the Octagon again?
Former UFC women’s strawweight champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk has explained how she’s harnessing her business acumen to extend her legacy outside the Octagon.
Jędrzejczyk held gold on MMA’s biggest stage between 2015 and 2017. After dethroning Carla Esparza at UFC 185, the Polish star went on to defend the belt five times against Jessica Penne, Valérie Létourneau, Cláudia Gadelha, Karolina Kowalkiewicz, and Jéssica Andrade.
But since her victory over the Brazilian, Jędrzejczyk has gone 2-4, including consecutive losses to current titleholder Rose Namajunas and a setback against reigning flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko.
The 34-year-old’s last appearance saw her share the Octagon with then-champ Zhang Weili in March 2020. In one of the greatest fights of all time, the pair traded blows for 25 minutes. In a close contest, many believe the level of visible damage on the head of the challenger, including a gruesome hematoma, perhaps swayed the decision in the Chinese star’s favor.
One year ago today, Zhang Weili and Joanna Jedrzejczyk delivered five rounds of brilliance in one of the greatest fights of all time 👏 pic.twitter.com/n29scCGe32
While some fans will look down on a two-year layoff and often criticize inactivity, Jędrzejczyk has certainly paid her dues in the sport and has been making an impact beyond the realms of fighting since her last outing.
From commercials to projects, Jędrzejczyk has been making a splash in the business world, as many fighters have attempted and succeeded in doing over the past few years.
Having developed a business acumen from a young age, Jędrzejczyk is hoping to stretch beyond the confines of being an “athlete” and extend her legacy through partnerships and self-made businesses.
“I do lots of media, lots of sponsorships; I’m trying to build my own businesses,” said Jędrzejczyk on a recent episode of American Top Team’s Punchin’ In podcast. “The other things, I love doing sponsorship obligations, media, TV, but training is always first. This is what made me. This is who I am. This is why I’m here, because of all my wins, trophies, sports legacy, sports success; it helped me become kind of a celebrity. I think after I lost the belt, people learn more about the Joanna Jędrzejczyk as a woman, a human, than only an athlete. I was like, a robot, only an athlete back in the day. Only training, training training. But I was always full of passions and hobbies.
“I was doing businesses since I was a little girl. I was always into business and doing things. So, this is what I love,” added Jędrzejczyk. “Now people know that I’m not only high-quality athlete, they know that I’m high-quality business woman, and I’m high-quality role model, and I’m high-quality human being. That’s why they want to hang out with me, they want to do deals, they want to promote things…
“What I’m trying to build, I’m not trying to only build business relationships, in every business relationship, I’m trying to bring friendship and family relationships. This is what’s important to me. I’m trying to extend my legacy, so I’m trying to build my own businesses as well.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZe7ByiOa7f/
Having further developed her brand in her native Poland, Jędrzejczyk is now back on US soil and training at ATT ahead of her long-awaited return to the Octagon.
With Esparza set to challenge for Namajunas’ gold next, the veteran will seemingly have to face another top contender for her comeback before jumping back to the title, as she’d hoped to do in March or April this year.
Prior to the epic encounter between Weili Zhang and Joanna Jędrzejczyk at UFC 248 that saw Zhang emerge victorious via split decision, there was already some tension between the two athletes as evident in the below article.
The following article was published on this day two years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of the MMA News Archives.
On This Day Two Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 29, 2020, 4:59 PM]
Headline: Weili Zhang Takes Aim At Joanna Jedrzejczyk Over Coronavirus Joke
Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.
Joanna Jędrzejczyk is under fire for making a joke aimed at Weili Zhang involving the deadly coronavirus.
According to CBS News, the death toll caused by the coronavirus has risen to 132. Over 5,900 cases have been confirmed in China. Zhang was born in Handan, China.
Jędrzejczyk Makes Controversial Joke, Zhang Responds
Jędrzejczyk, who is set to challenge Zhang for the UFC strawweight championship on March 7, shared an image poking fun at Zhang by using the current epidemic. The post has been deleted, but you can see the picture below.
Zhang Fires Back, Jędrzejczyk Tries To Clear The Air
Taking to Instagram, Zhang responded to Jędrzejczyk and made it clear that she feels the joke was out of line.
“To make fun of tragedy is a true sign of ones character. People are dying, someones father, someones mother, someones child. Say what you want about me if it makes you feel stronger but do not joke about what’s happening here. I wish you good health until March 7th. I will see you soon.”
Jędrzejczyk attempted to clear the air on sharing the post but she also threw in another dig at the 115-pound champion in a selfie video (h/t MMAJunkie.com).
“Hey champ. Hey Weili. I’m so sorry to make you feel bad, but I’d never make fun of sick people or a virus. I didn’t want you to get offended. I just made fun of the funny internet meme. So, so sorry, but still, I’ll see you March 7. Don’t get emotional, OK?”
The following article published on this day four years ago is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day Four Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 29, 2018, 1:05 PM]
Headline: Jędrzejczyk On Rousey: ‘We Paid The Price For Weight Cuts’
Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.
Joanna Jędrzejczyk believes she suffered the consequences of a bad weight cut as did Ronda Rousey.
Jędrzejczyk was last seen inside the Octagon back in November. She defended the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) strawweight title against Rose Namajunas. In a shocking upset, Namajunas finished Jędrzejczyk in the opening frame to capture the 115-pound gold.
After the fight, the former strawweight titleholder dropped Perfecting Athletes and blamed them for a poor weight cut. She believes that newly minted WWE superstar Ronda Rousey has also been the victim of a weight cut gone wrong. Jędrzejczyk says it played a major factor in her performance against Holly Holm.
During an appearance on MMAFighting.com‘s “The MMA Hour,” Jędrzejczyk explained the dangers of weight cutting:
“The funny thing is, people don’t believe that your brain can be frozen, but the weight cut can change the game. It can and that’s the worse thing. It can (happen) and this is what happened to me and Ronda. We paid the price for the weight cuts and that’s the thing.”
She also offered a response to the critics.
“They didn’t go through the weight cut, so they don’t understand. They don’t understand what we had to go through, but one day I will explain to all of them.”
Sound off in the comments below. Do you believe bad weight cuts are to blame for the fall of Ronda Rousey and Jędrzejczyk s first loss?
Joanna Jędrzejczyk claims she could be fighting for the world title next if she wanted, but she has no intentions of sitting out for the required wait time.
Former UFC strawweight queen Joanna Jędrzejczyk has not competed since March 2020 in her Fight of the Year-qualifying war against Zhang Weili. Zhang barely squeaked out a split-decision victory and went on to battle Rose Namajunas in back-to-back title fights that saw Zhang come up short both times.
Meanwhile, Jędrzejczyk has been inactive since this classic struggle, waiting for the most suitable moment to make her long-awaited return. First, Jędrzejczyk expressed that she was not interested in competing while there were still no fans allowed in arenas due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She then voiced discontent with her current UFC contract, even though company president Dana White used her as an example of fighter wealth present on the company roster.
Joanna Jędrzejczyk Claims She Could Fight For Title In November/December
TORONTO, ON – DECEMBER 8: Joanna Jedrzejczyk of Poland enters the ring prior to her fight against Valentina Shevchenko of Kyrgyzstan in a flyweight bout during the UFC 231 event at Scotiabank Arena on December 8, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
Last November, Jędrzejczyk did name three potential names for her return fight, however. She expressed interest in facing either the winner or loser of the Namajunas/Zhang rematch at UFC 268 or Carla Esparza. With Esparza now being pegged as next in line for Namajunas, that leaves Zhang.
Jędrzejczyk acknowledges this as her most likely next fight but also claimed that she could be fighting for the world title in the fourth quarter of 2022 if she so chose (via BBC Sport).
“I thought it might be Carla Esparza, but it’s been confirmed she is next to fight for the championship,” Jędrzejczyk told Polish TV show Kanal Sportowy recently. There was also [Maria] Rodriguez, but she fights [Xiaonan] Yan in March so that leaves Weili.
“I don’t see any other fight. [UFC president] Dana [White] made me an offer to fight for the championship, but I would have to wait until November [or] December and I don’t want to wait. I want to fight.”
Due to her inactivity, Jędrzejczyk is currently no longer in the strawweight rankings. She has lost two of her last three fights and four out of her last six. She also holds two title-fight losses to current champion Rose Namajunas.
What are your thoughts on Joanna Jędrzejczyk’s claim that she was offered to fight for the title at the end of 2022?
