Under gårdagen briserade bomben – UFC 230 i Madison Square Garden har fått sin huvudmatch i form av ett flugviktsmöte mellan Valentina Shevchenko och Sijara Eubanks, som gör upp om den vakanta titeln.
Läs mer: UFC 230: Shevchenko vs. Eubanks – huvudmatchen bokad och klar
Rasar efter beskedet
Beskedet kom som en stor överraskning för många. Dels för att flera hoppades på att en match innehållandes Jon Jones skulle bli galans huvudmatch, men också för att Shevchenko redan var klar för ett betydligt mer högprofilerat möte om samma titel mot Joanna Jedrzejczyk på UFC 231.
En som av förklarliga skäl är upprörd över situationen är just Jedrzejczyk. I ett nyligt Instagram-inlägg avslöjar den polska tidigare mästarinnan att hon fick reda på nyheten via journalister – något som gjorde henne både ledsen och arg.
Läs Joannas fullständiga uttalande nedan:
”Me pulling out of fight? Never! Here is the truth. Yesterday I was informed that my fight had been cancelled. Unfortunately, I received this news from journalists, I was very shocked. I feel angry and sad. The already signed contract on the 8th of December was ignored. They were trying to persuade me into taking the fight in November, at the same time depriving me of a chance to properly prepare for the fight during the camp. Valentina is a challenging opponents, and my goal was (and actually still is) to prepare for this fight as best I can, and to eventually become the UFC flyweight champion.”
”I treat every opponent and fight serious and with respect. I could fight in NY if I was interested only in money. Due to respect for other fighters and myself, I rejected the offer made by the UFC to change the date of the fight, as my main goal is to be at my best form during the fight, and in order to do that, I have to do my job from start to finish,” skriver Joanna.
Hon fortsätter:
”For 15 years I’ve been focused only on development, sportsmanship at the highest level and achieving my dreams. Of course, martial arts are my job, but most of all, they are my passion, hobby, and they fill my life and run in my blood. As a professional and a person who treats her life and work obligations serious, I feel truly resentful about the breath of the fight agreement. My feelings are even more intensified when I think of the obligations I had to resign from, as they would have happened in the time of my camp. I always plan everything long before a fight announcement. Once I sign the contract, there is nothing more important than fight preparations.”
”I always try to put myself in somebody else’s situation, be it a life or business one. Thus, I understand the quick decision made by the UFC key people to save the event in NYC. Everything happens for a reason. Sooner or later i’ll become the champ in two weight classes,” avslutar hon.
