Joanna Jedrzejczyk failed to reclaim the UFC strawweight title at UFC 248, losing a razor-close split decision to Chinese champion Weili Zhang. Despite this tough setback, the Polish star seems to be in good spirits.
Speaking on her official Instagram page on Monday night, the former UFC strawweight queen issued a quick and positive statement to update her fans. See it below.
“Doesn’t matter what’s happening in my life❤️ WIN or LOSE UP or DOWN I am grateful every single day and night!🙏🏼 Grateful for the life I get to live, grateful for the people I’m surrounded by, and grateful for all the beautiful moments.💕 I know I am lucky, and I am thankful.” – Joanna Jedrzejczyk on Instagram.
Jedrzejczyk reigned over the UFC strawweight division from 2015 to 2017, defending the title a record-breaking five times in that span. While she failed to reclaim the title from Zhang, her stock only climbed in defeat, as she and the current champ delivered arguably the greatest women’s bout in MMA history.
Perhaps UFC commentator Joe Rogan, who was on duty for this Jedrzejczyk vs. Zhang fight, said it best:
“There were so many great fights last night, but the women’s straw weight title between @zhangweilimma and @joannajedrzejczyk was one of the greatest fights I’ve ever seen in my life and I can’t stop thinking about it,” Rogan said of the matchup. “I feel honored to be so fortunate to see that fight live and to be able to call it. Both women embody all that is best about being a champion.”
From here, it’s not clear what the future holds for Joanna Jedrzejczyk, though she does not seem interested in retiring and clearly remains one of the best fighters in the division. Given the nature of her fight with Zhang, don’t be surprised if we see a rematch between the pair in the future.
This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on 3/10/2020.