Joanna Jedrzejczyk Set To Meet Claudia Gadelha At July 8’s TUF 23 Finale

Confirming a previous rumor, it was announced at tonight’s UFC Fight Night 81 from Boston that undefeated UFC women’s strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk will rematch top-ranked Brazilian contender Claudia Gadelha in the main event of July 8’s The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 23 Finale from Las Vegas, Nevada.

Jedrzejczyk appeared alongside Octagon commentator Joe Rogan to announce that she would coach TUF 23 opposite Gadelha, whom she beat via close and controversial split decision at December 2014’s UFC on FOX 13.

As one of the most rapidly rising pound-for-pound fighters in MMA, Jedrzejczyk capped off a dominant 2015 by soundly defeating Valerie Letourneau by decision at UFC 193 after finishing Jessica Penne at UFC Fight Night 69 and inaugural champion Carla Esparza to win the belt at UFC 185 in March.

Gadelha, meanwhile, was last see winning a nearly perfect unanimous decision over former WSOF champion Jessica Aguilar at August 2015’s UFC 190 from Rio de Janeiro. After the fight, Gadelha was forced to the bench with a broken hand that required surgery.

The two strawweight rivals will throw down again in the main event of July 8’s TUF 23 Finale, which will take place one day before the promotion’s presumably blockbuster and historic UFC 200 show.