In the week leading up to her fight against Rose Namajunas at UFC 217, Joanna Jedrzejczyk invoked the name Ronda Rousey numerous times as she was attempting to tie her record for the most title defenses in the history of the women’s divisions in the UFC.
Add to that, Jedrzejczyk was rather outspoken towards her rather quiet opponent as she threatened to take her soul in the fight and shouted that “the boogiewoman” was coming to get her on Saturday night.
Unfortunately all the talk came crashing down around her when Jedrzejczyk suffered a first round knockout to Namajunas at UFC 217 as she faced her first professional defeat and lost the women’s strawweight title.
Almost immediately afterwards, Jedrzejczyk’s loss was compared to Rousey’s 2015 defeat to Holly Holm, which ended her undefeated streak while facing a similarly stoic opponent just like Namajunas.
As much as Jedrzejczyk loves and respects Rousey as a friend and colleague for what she did for women’s mixed martial arts, the Polish strawweight was quick to shut down any comparisons between the two of them following UFC 217.
“Please don’t compare me to Ronda Rousey. I love her so much and we have a very good relationship but please let’s leave this bulls–t away,” Jedrzejczyk said at the UFC 217 post fight press conference. “I never take fights personal and I’m not emotional when I’m fighting. Everything went so smooth during this camp. It was a very long camp. 13 weeks I was training with American Top Team. You know just big surprise. This is what happens.
“Big congrats to Rose. Rose, I’m happy for her. But I will be back stronger.”
As far as what comes next for the former champion, Jedrzejczyk plans on traveling home to Poland where she will spend time with her family and fiancé after living in Florida for the past 13 weeks as she got ready for the fight with Namajunas.
Jedrzejczyk hinted in a Twitter post on Sunday that she might be back in action sooner than expected but also added at the post fight press conference that she will have to sit down with UFC president Dana White to truly determine what comes next.
I am looking forward. I? know I’ll be back stronger then ever and sooner then you all think?
There was already talk of a potential rematch considering Jedrzejczyk was a five-time defending champion but no decision has been made as of yet.
“I must sit and talk to Dana [White] and the UFC. I think I’ve been a good athlete and good champion for the UFC. I think I deserve the rematch,” Jedrzejczyk said. “If I don’t get the rematch, we will see.
“I’m looking forward.”
