UFC on ESPN+ 19 breakdown: Can Michelle Waterson make statement against Joanna Jedrzejczyk?

MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom breaks down the UFC’s top bouts. Today, we look at the main event for UFC on ESPN+ 19.

UFC on ESPN+ 19 takes place Saturday at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla. The card streams on ESPN+.

Joanna Jedrzejczyk (15-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC)

Staple info:

• Height: 5’6″ Age: 32 Weight: 115 lbs. Reach: 65.5″
• Last fight: Decision loss to Valentina Shevchenko (Dec. 8, 2018)
• Camp: American Top Team (Florida)
• Stance/striking style: Orthodox/muay Thai
• Risk management: Good

Supplemental info:

+ Former UFC strawweight champion

+ 5x muay Thai champion

+ 4 KO victories

+ 1 submission wins

+ 1 first-round finishes

+ Consistent pace and pressure

+ Excellent footwork

^ Shifts, half-steps, pivots

+ Technically sound striker

^ Rarely throws self out of position

+ Accurate jabs and leg kicks

+ Superb defensive and offensive clinch

^ Solid head positioning and forearm framing

+ Underrated grappling IQ

^ Good getup technique/urgency

Michelle Waterson (17-6 MMA, 5-2 UFC)

Staple info:

• Height: 5’3″ Age: 33 Weight: 115 lbs. Reach: 62″
• Last fight: Decision win over Karolina Kowalkiewicz(March 30, 2019)
• Camp: Jackson-Wink MMA (New Mexico)
• Stance/striking style: Switch-stance/kickboxing
• Risk management: Good

Supplemental info:

+ Invicta FC atomweight title

+ Karate black belt

+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu blue belt

+ 3 KO victories

+ 9 submission wins

+ 8 first-round finishes

+ Consistent pace and pressure

+ Accurate shot selection

+ Diverse kicking attacks

^ Works well off of lead leg

+ Solid Thai clinch

^ Hard knees and elbows

+ Improved wrestling ability

^ Defensively and offensively

+ Underrated submission game

Point of interest: Kicks and counters

 

A technical striker who is no stranger to the threat of counter strikes, Joanna Jedrzejczyk typically likes to start the proverbial party behind her patented jab. Throwing it actively and accurately, the development of the former champion’s jab dates back to the beginning of her career and has been a crucial tool for her success.

Like many muay Thai strikers transitioning into MMA, Jedrzejczyk was extra mindful of takedowns early on, subsequently avoiding throwing kicks comfortably until her very first UFC strawweight title defense. Now, showing competence and confidence in her anti-grappling abilities, the 32-year-old pro will use her jab more for setups rather than safety, confidently attaching well-placed leg kicks and punches to punctuate her presence.

Still, despite Jedrzejczyk’s ability to damage legs, she may have to alter her approach when facing a fighter who actively switches stances and carries takedown threats in their back pocket.

A karate practitioner since the age of 10, Michelle Waterson is no stranger to the kicks that reside in the striking realm. Competing in MMA for over a decade, Waterson has shown slightly different iterations of her arsenal throughout the years, steadily evolving from her original base of American-freestyle karate.

Incorporating more muay Thai in the later parts of her career, Waterson displays an ability to delegate her kicking styles uniquely.

Like many karate strikers, the 12-year pro works well off of her lead leg, and she throws the front and round kicks you would expect from a fighter with that background. Waterson can also seamlessly switch her kicking style, often parlaying missed Thai kicks into sidekicks.

However, when it comes to counters, both ladies are not beyond being hit at boxing range – which makes the pocket the place where this battle’s trajectory could change.

Next point of interest: Conquering the clinch