TORONTO — Watch one of Joanna Jedrzejczyk’s fights and it’ll surprise you just how much violence can exude from her petite 115-pound frame. Sit down and talk with her for a few minutes, though, and it won’t shock you at all that she is a world champion.
The UFC’s strawweight title holder has a champion’s attitude, lives a champion’s lifestyle, heck, even her nickname is “Joanna Champion” — in part because it’s easier to pronounce than Jedrzejczyk, sure, but mostly it’s due to how she carries herself in and out of the cage.
A multiple-time world Muay Thai and kickboxing champion, Jedrzejczyk is widely regarded as the best striker in women’s mixed martial arts ahead of former bantamweight champion Holly Holm and renown destroyer Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino. Jedrzejczyk developed a well-rounded skill set to accompany her striking and it has translated to a 12-0 professional MMA record (6-0 in the UFC).
If you’re unfamiliar with what the Olsztyn, Poland native is capable of you’ll be able to witness her talents Saturday night when she fights her countrywoman Karolina Kowalkiewicz in Madison Square Garden at UFC 205.
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Winning a UFC title is no easy task. Defending one is a completely different animal — just ask the 11 former champions who have lost UFC belts in the last 19 months — so her three straight title defences is an accomplishment that shouldn’t be overlooked. In fact, her and flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson are technically the only current UFC champs that have defended their titles multiple times.
If Jedrzejczyk can get by Kowalkiewicz, whom she defeated in 2012 when the two women were still amateurs, she’ll be two wins away from tying Ronda Rousey’s women’s record of six consecutive title defences. Jedrzejczyk has only been in the UFC two years but she is building quite the legacy.
“I said a few years ago that I want to be a legend,” Jedrzejczyk told Sportsnet. “I want to be remembered as one of the best UFC fighters, as one of the best UFC champions and I want to retire as undefeated.”
Her popularity continues to grow with each fight and it’s not merely because of her aggressive, fan-friendly style. Her demeanour, her blue-collar work ethic, the fact she’s friendly and has energy while cutting weight during fight week when most fighters are miserable. All that plays a role.
“People want everything for free. They have like two pro fights and say ‘I’m a pro, I need to make money, the sponsorship must be right.’ I’ve been investing in myself for 10 years. I’ve been making money for the last two years maybe,” Jedrzejczyk explained. “It’s not easy to get to the top, to become UFC champion. The UFC holds more than 500 fighters. It’s like a big jungle. It’s difficult to get to the top but if you work hard, if you’re humble, if you focus, you will get to the top.”
Sometimes fighters become complacent once they fulfill their goal of becoming champion. It’s only natural. But this doesn’t appear to be something Jedrzejczyk will ever fall victim to because the 29-year-old is willing to make sacrifices other fighters aren’t.
“I am 100 per cent a professional,” Jedrzejczyk said. “I moved to Florida for this camp, I changed my gym, I left my coaches. It was very difficult. My fiancé, my family, my friends, they’re back home in Poland. I know changes are difficult. They’re not easy to make.”
When Jedrzejczyk walks through Times Square this week and sees her face draped over the side of a building, it’ll make those sacrifices more palatable.
“I was happy to be on my first UFC poster [last year] but now my picture is hanging on the wall in Madison Square Garden in New York City,” she said with a smile. “I remember when I just got into martial arts, I remember competing on small amateur shows and here we go. Hard work pays off.”
UFC 205 is headlined by Conor McGregor attempting to make history. If the featherweight kingpin defeats lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez he’ll become the first fighter in UFC history to win titles in two different weight classes simultaneously. Jedrzejczyk has similar aspirations.
“I’m going to be the first [two-weight champion] in the female division,” Jedrzejczyk said.
Currently the only two women’s weight classes are strawweight (115 pounds) and bantamweight (135 pounds) but it’s inevitable that one day a women’s 125-pound flyweight division will be created.
“We need this division,” Jedrzejczyk added. “There are so many fighters from 115 who are having very big problems with the weight cuts. There are so many fighters who are too small for the 135 division and too big for 115. I hope that we will have this division next year. It’s my dream to have two fights at 115 next year and at the end of the year fight for the second title.”
It’s a lofty goal, no doubt, but don’t underestimate Jedrzejczyk. She’ll surprise you.
