Joanna Jedrzejczyk (9-0) tar sig an Jessica Penne (12-2) på UFC Fight Night 69 i Berlin, men Jedrzejczyk trodde inte ens att hon skulle kunna tävla i stråviktsdivisionen för ett år sedan.
Innan Jedrzejczyk fick kontrakt med UFC slogs hon i flugviktsdivisionen på 125 pounds, men hon kontaktade en bra dietist i Polen som fick ner henne till 115 pounds.
”Even 12 months ago I didn’t expect that I could make 115-pounds,” Jedrzejczyk said. ”I was trying, but I didn’t have a good dietitian. But right before I signed the contract with the UFC, I got in contact with Jacob Mauricz. He’s one of the famous dietitians in Poland and probably soon he’s gonna be the most famous one in Europe. And I’m very happy. And now it’s very easy for me to make 115. So I’m happy I’m a part of the 115-pound division. But normally I’m like 125, even little bit more. But yeah I like it.”
Jedrzejczyk vill bara slåss och tycker inte att det viktiga är mediabevakning och uppmärksamhet som kommer med då man håller i mästarbältet.
”For me the more important thing is fighting. You know, training, fighting. The sports side. I didn’t choose my media life. You know what I mean? I’ve got some offers from KSW and I could fight for KSW, be on open TV. So I could become more famous in Poland, but I don’t care about [fame]. For me, the sport side was more important two years ago and I was waiting for the UFC. And I knew that I was going to be a champion, and I had this feeling. I’ve got talent from my gut and I did my job to show to everyone that I’m simply the best. And I’m very happy that I did the biggest success from the Polish MMA fighters.”
Penne är en duktig grappler och har bra striking, vilket Jedrzejczyk är medveten om och hon underskattar aldrig en motståndare.
”No. Every fight [is] gonna be more difficult. You can be an underdog, but you can beat the champion. This is what I did last time. And so I have lots of respect to my opponents. Of course me and my trainers, we have some game plans for this fight like for every fight, but you never know what’s gonna happen in the octagon. So you must have a different plan, second by second when you’re in the octagon. So Jessica, she’s working very good on the ground, her wrestling is good, but not as good as Carla’s wrestling, but I think she can strike better than Carla and then she will try to take me down. But we will see. They cannot do it, yeah? I’m gonna stay the champion (laughs).”
