Joanna Jedrzejczyk has given her thoughts on what will happen when Weili Zhang challenges Carla Esparza for the UFC strawweight title.

Last Saturday night at UFC 275, Joanna Jedrzejczyk retired from mixed martial arts following her knockout defeat at the hands of Weili Zhang. The two put on a thoroughly entertaining rematch in Singapore and while Jedrzejczyk had a few nice moments, the evening belonged to Zhang as a spinning back fist was enough to put a definitive end to their rivalry.

The expectation is that Zhang will now kick on and fight Carla Esparza for the belt in her next bout, and according to Joanna, the Chinese sensation should be viewed as the favourite to walk away as a two-time champion.

“First round for Weili Zhang,” said Jędrzejczyk. “She’s so strong. Yeah, first round.”

“She really surprised me with her strength [on the] ground,” said Joanna. “Because we know she’s a striker, but she was very strong on the ground. Very beautiful work. Very beautiful work.”

“So it’s going to be an interesting fight, but I truly believe that Weili’s going to be becoming the champ,” said Jędrzejczyk.

Quotes via MMA News

The unpredictable nature of the UFC’s matchmaking means that there are no guarantees regarding the next step they’ll take with regard to the title picture but at the same time, this feels like the next logical move for the promotion.

Both women are going to be ready for war whereas for Jedrzejczyk, it’s time to sit back and relax as she reflects on what has been an incredible career at the elite level.

Do you agree with Joanna Jedrzejczyk’s prediction for Carla Esparza vs Weili Zhang? What are your thoughts on the Polish star walking away from the sport? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments, BJPENN Nation!