On To Another Title Shot!

Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

After five rounds of action at UFC Fight Night 161 inside Amalie Arena, Joanna Jedrzejczyk was awarded a unanimous decision win over Michelle Waterson last Saturday night (Oct. 12, 2019) in Tampa, Florida.

Now, it’s on to another championship fight for the former Strawweight queen, who revealed that getting first dibs against current division champion, Weili Zhang, was already set in stone before she even signed on the dotted line to face “Karate Hottie.”

“I would not sign the agreement for this fight with Michelle Waterson if I was not going to sign for the belt after a victory,” said Joanna during a recent interview on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show.

“It’s a done deal, I don’t need anybody, they need me more,” she said regarding a potential trilogy fight against Rose Namajunas or No. 1 contender fight against Tatiana Suarez. As far as Zhang is concerned, Joanna knows she will be in for a tough fight.

“I’m impressed. She made it to the league, very fast punches, crispy. She is very fast and very dangerous. She proved that in the title fight with Jessica Andrade. She is very dangerous, but I am ready,” said Jedrzejczyk.

That said, “JJ” maintains that she is still the face of the division despite having two champions crowned after her reign, and no one will lever convince her otherwise.

“Of course I am, and people still doubt me. And they can doubt me. They can throw stones and I just pick them up, it just makes me stronger.”

Zhang (20-1), of course, is ready to prove she will be the face that carries the division moving forward, and gettig a dominant win over the former longest reigning division champion is a perfect way to start.

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