Former Champ Joanna Jedrzejczyk to Return to Strawweight in 2019
A UFC fan favorite has set a return time frame and a return weight class.
Former strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk announced at her guest media scrum prior to UFC 234 that she will return to the octagon in the second half of 2019 and she’ll return to the 115-pound division.
“I want to take a longer break so I will fight in the second half of the year, so maybe August or October” said Jedrzejczyk. “I had an offer to fight in March, but I want to take some time for myself. I want to train and learn. I want to do this for myself.”
Jedrzejczyk, who fought three times in 2018, and 12 times in UFC career, which started in 2014, has been traveling and enjoying time off after a busy year. So far in 2019, she has spent time in Thailand, Mexico, and now Australia.
“I’ve been traveling and doing some good stuff,” said the former champion. “I’ve taken two months off, but I’m ready to get back in the gym when I return to Poland on Monday.”
Jedrzejczyk, who has fought in nine title fights in the UFC, has recently debated on which weight class she’d fight in when she returns. After a few tough weight cuts to 115 pounds, JJ fought for 125 pound flyweight championship in which she lost by unanimous decision to Valentina Shevchenko in December. After she had a few months to refresh her body and her mind she decided she will return to weight class that ruled over for two years.
“It was a difficult decision, but my next move is 115,” the UFC female record holder for title fights said.
The move back to strawweight opens the door for another championship fight pending the result of the UFC 237 matchup in May between current champ Rose Namajunas and Jessica Andrade. A Namajunas win would leave Jedrzejczyk out of title contention since Namajunas owns two wins over Jedrzejczyk. However, if Andrade were to knock off Namajunas a rematch between Andrade and Jedrzejczyk is very likely given Andrade’s only loss at strawweight comes at the hands of Jedrzejczyk.
Jedrzejczyk admits that she has her eyes set on the May match up, and she plans on heading to Brazil to watch it in person.
“I was very happy when heard of that fight and I definitely want to go to Brazil and watch this fight live” said Jedrzejczyk. “I’m 99 percent sure that I’ll go to Brazil to watch the fight. I want to see my Brazilian fans and I want to go there and hang out with them, and meet them and watch this fight live.”
Jedrzejczyk did not come out and say she’d prefer Andrade to beat Namajunas, but she did give an outlook on the fight.
“It’s going to be a very interesting fight. Rose must be very clever. I think my fight with Jessica Andrade was one of my best fights ever, and it would be great to see her again.”
Regardless of whether or not her next fight is for the belt or not the UFC will be happy to have one of their top fighters back in action in 2019. Jedrzejczyk is the most successful strawweight of all time. The Polish star is 9-2 in the UFC when fighting at the 115-pound weight limit, including six wins in strawweight championship fights.
