Former UFC women’s strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk wants to go into the Hall of Fame, but not yet.
The Polish fighter has been out of action since her rematch with Weili Zhang in June. In their first outing two years prior, it was a ‘Fight of the Year’ contender. In March 2020, it was Zhang who won the five-round war by a split decision.
Sadly, the rematch was much more one-sided. Jedrzejczyk was outwrestled in the first round and was brutally knocked out in the second frame. Following the defeat, which was her second in a row, she decided to retire from MMA.
As one of the greatest women’s fighters to ever grace the cage, her place in history is assured. Jedrzejczyk is a former women’s strawweight champion who earned five title defenses. In her time in the UFC, she defeated names such as Carla Esparza, Jessica Andrade, Claudia Gadelha, and more.
Although her place in history is secure, Joanna Jedrzejczyk is not yet in the Hall of Fame. In her view, she feels that’s about right. Not due to her accomplishments, but because she doesn’t think it’s time yet, as she revealed in an interview with MMA Junkie.
“I feel so young and I feel like I could be fighting because the last camp was really the best camp of my life,” Jedrzejczyk stated. “It’s hard. I wanted to be the UFC champion one more time – not the Hall of Famer … not the retired old lady. It will be an honor. But we will see. Maybe they will surprise me one day, but I don’t think I’m ready to be a grandma.” (h/t MMA Junkie)
She continued, “I thought that I was going fight more because before my last fight I signed a new deal with UFC for six fights. I feel like it was the right decision for that moment. It isn’t easy. I always wanted to retire on my rules. I could keep doing this. I’m healthy and I have said that I want to be a businesswoman and be a mom, because the last 19 years I’ve been traveling, training and working so hard I had no personal life. I used to say I was sacrificing, but no – I’m investing. Now I’m enjoying. We’ll see. I don’t like to do things halfway. I always go 100 percent. We will see. But being a Hall of Famer, it’s a big dream – same as being UFC champion.”
Against the former champion’s best wishes, she’ll likely be inducted into the Hall of Fame sooner rather than later. Whenever Jedrzejczyk is inducted, she will join Ronda Rousey was the only woman to ever make the Hall.
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