SINGAPORE – Joanna Jedrzejczyk decided to close out her legendary career Saturday after UFC 275.
Jedrzejczyk, the former strawweight champion, announced her retirement from MMA following her unsuccessful return to the octagon. After a two-year break, Jedrzejczyk returned in Singapore where she suffered a knockout loss in her highly anticipated rematch with Zhang Weili.
In her post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier, Jedrzejczyk broke the news to the world.
“I’m retired,” Jedrzejczyk said “Thank you so much for the support. … It’s been 20 years. I’m turning 35 this year. I want to be a mom. I want to be a business woman. I’ve been training two decades, more than half of my life. I appreciate you all. I love you guys.”
Jedrzejczyk (16-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) said she didn’t enter UFC 275 knowing that it would be her last fight. Retirement was something she had thought of, but it wasn’t firm in the lead up to the fight.
“No, it was just in the moment, but I’ve had it in the back of my head,” Jedrzejczyk told reporters at the UFC 275 post-event news conference. “Maybe there was one day, maybe like a year ago, if something happened I might retire because I’ve been in this business for the last 19 years. Lots of investments from myself. It’s time to fully enjoy my life. I approach so much and honestly I haven’t had the time to think about how big my legacy is. I’m a hard worker, and I always dedicated myself. I give as much as I can, and I get as much as I can in the same way, but now it’s time to fully enjoy it.”
Jedrzejczyk walks away from MMA after fighting for 10 years professionally. She remains the most dominant strawweight champion in UFC history, holding the record for most consecutive title defenses in the division with five.
Jedrzejczyk, who held the title from 2015 to 2017, has notable wins over Jessica Andrade, Michelle Waterson, Tecia Torres, Claudia Gadelha, and current champion Carla Esparza, among others.
The Polish fighter is happy with what she was able to achieve and wants to let people know they can make their dreams come true just as she did.
“I want people to know that anything and everything is possible,” Jedrzejczyk said. “It doesn’t matter where you’re from, what color is your skin, what religion you believe in – you can make it. … Dreams are coming true, but you have to work hard and really believe. I’m proud of myself.”
‘It’s time to fully enjoy my life’: Joanna Jedrzejczyk explains retirement decision after UFC 275
