Joanna Jedrzejczyk reveals with UFC Tampa win, she gets a title shot
Joanna Jedrzejczyk will return to the Octagon at UFC Tampa to headline a card against Michelle Waterson. It will be her first bout since UFC 231 when she lost to Valentina Shevchenko for the vacant flyweight champion.
When she takes on Waterson, it will be her return to strawweight, where she reigned as champion for years. Yet, she lost her title to Rose Namajunas then lost an immediate rematch. Now, however, with Weili Zhang as the new UFC champion, Joanna Jedrzejczyk says she will be a shot at her with a win over Michelle Waterson at UFC Tampa.
“We have in the contract that the win will get a duel of the strawweight category,” Jedrzejczyk said to Polish news outlet Polsat Sport. “The fight for the title is closer than we think. After the victory with Michelle on October 12, I hope that in the first quarter of 2020 I will get a chance to return to the throne.”
In the last time Joanna Jedrzejczyk fought at strawweight, she fought at UFC on FOX 30 in Calgary, Alberta. There she took on Tecia Torres and beat her by decision. During her reign as champion, she beat the likes of Jessica Andrade, Claudia Gadelha, Valerie Letourneau, and Jessica Penne among others. She was considered one of the most dominant champions in the UFC. And, against Zhang, it would be a highly entertaining striking fight.
First, however, she must get past Michelle Waterson who has been on a roll as of late. She is on a three-fight winning streak with wins over Cortney Casey, Felice Herrig, and Karolina Kowalkiewicz. In her lone losses inside the Octagon, she lost to Rose Namajunas and Tecia Torres.
The main event of UFC Tampa is no doubt an interesting bout that has title implications on the line. At least it does for Joanna Jedrzejczyk.
