LAS VEGAS – Joanna Jedrzejczyk plans on winning back the UFC strawweight belt in impressive fashion.
The former champion takes on newly crowned champion Zhang Weili in the co-main event of Saturday’s UFC 248. Jedrzejczyk (16-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC) sees herself doing something that’s never been done in the UFC: dominate Weili (20-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) in the octagon.
“I want to make her quit,” Jedrzejczyk told reporters at the UFC 248 open workouts. “I’ve been through so many fights, this is my 14th fight in the UFC, 10th for the belt. I’m a naturally gifted fighter with such good conditioning and I want to make her quit.
“I want to make her quit and beg me to stop, that’s what’s going to happen. Of course, one punch can finish the fight but I’m ready for anything and everything. I’m not this person that says I’m going to knock her out, I’m going to submit her, no. You have to take fights second by second.”
As expected, Weili plans on doing the same to Jedrzejczyk, saying she expects a knockout win over the Polish fighter. Jedrzejczyk is fueled by those types of comments.
“I need this sports violence, I need this aggression,” Jedrzejczyk said. “Her saying this, that’s what’s up. Jessica Andrade said the same thing, that she’s going to knock me out.
“These girls, they look short and muscular, they look powerful, and she has power, but I know how to avoid it. She can try, but she going to face the best in the business. She knows that she needs me to make this money and become a superstar in the UFC strawweight division. And there are people who doubt me and are going to do that but my legacy is so big. So she’s saying this, things just got real, let’s go. Let’s go on Saturday.”
There has been concern in recent years surrounding Jedrzejczyk’s ability to make strawweight in a healthy manner. The 32-year-old former titleholder says the weight issues are behind her and feels good entering UFC 248.
“This time I woke up at 123 pounds, and if you ask fighters, that’s nothing,” Jedrzejczyk said. “I will just break a sweat tonight, I’m still drinking two gallons of liquid, eating three meals a day, two snacks, and it’s amazing. I really don’t have to do the bath or go to the sauna, there’s not going to be impact on my body, my mind. I’m not going stress my body or mind, so I will recover faster after the weigh-ins and be ready.”
