Did Joanna Jedrzejczyk Tease A Move To ONE Championship?
Former UFC women’s strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk recently caused quite the stir online.
The former ‘Joanna Champion’ incited a minor uprising on social media when she tagged up-and-coming MMA promotion ONE Championship in a since-deleted Instagram post.
Check it out:
Jedrzejczyk was last seen losing a unanimous decision to Valentina Shevchenko for the women’s flyweight title at December 8’s UFC 231. After the loss, she hinted she would return to 115 despite the increasingly draining weight cut.
After beginning her MMA career 14-0 with five consecutive UFC title defenses, Jedrzejczyk has fallen on tough times. She lost the 115-pound title to Rose Namajunas via shocking first-round knockout at UFC 217. Jedrzejczyk subsequently lost the rematch by decision at UFC 223. Although she rebounded with a win over Tecia Torres in her next bout, the loss to Shevchenko meant she’s dropped three out of her last four bouts.
Leaving The Octagon?
She’s still under contract with the UFC. But there’s no doubt ONE Championship made waves throughout 2018 in terms of adding elite talent to their growing roster. That includes former UFC champs Demetrious Johnson and Eddie Alvarez and former UFC poster boy Sage Northcutt.
Jedrzejczyk had a public spat with the UFC recently as well. The UFC decided to book Sijara Eubanks vs. Shevchenko for the women’s flyweight belt at last November 3’s UFC 230 when Jedrzejczyk couldn’t make the date. Although she eventually got the fight she was promised at UFC 231 when Daniel Cormier stepped in to fight Derrick Lewis at UFC 230, Jedrzejczyk professed her anger at supposedly being lied to by her employers.
Of course, this is all speculation. But with Jedrzejczyk tagging ONE Championship and then deleting it coupled with ONE’s big moves in the sport, the fans who got riled up can’t be blamed. There just isn’t a place Jedrzejczyk can really go right now in terms of title contention in the UFC. If Namajunas loses to Jessica Andrade at UFC 237, that may change.
With her title reign fizzling out, she could be another fighter the UFC decides they’ve used up for their purposes. It may not be the most professional move, yet they’ve shown they’re more than willing to do it. Should they let Jedrzejczyk leave?
