THERE ARE CURRENTLY two female world title-holders in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
You probably know one of them — Ronda Rousey — but the chances are that most casual mixed martial arts fans would struggle to name the other… and not just because it’s difficult to pronounce.
Rousey has led the way for women in mixed martial arts, and while no other female MMA athlete has captivated audiences like the Olympic medallist has, she’s not the only one worth following.
Having announced the establishment of a bantamweight (135lbs) division in 2012 — the first opportunity for women to compete in the organisation — the UFC then introduced a 115lbs weight class (strawweight) last year.
The division’s first champion was crowned via a season of The Ultimate Fighter, but despite claiming the belt at the expense of Rose Namajunas, Carla Esparza was never likely to set herself apart from the chasing pack in a similar manner to Rousey.
That proved to be the case when she fell at the first hurdle in March. It took Joanna Jedrzejczyk just under two rounds to end Esparza’s reign and become only the third champion from Europe in the history of the UFC.
Thanks to her stunning striking and impressive takedown defence, the former Muay Thai world champion cruised to a comprehensive victory which left the previous title-holder dismantled and out of her depth.
Jedrzejczyk’s rise to the top in MMA has been quite remarkable when you consider that just a year ago this month, she was brought in for her Cage Warriors debut as a relative unknown to face UFC veteran Rosi Sexton.
Taking on a fighter with just five professional MMA contests under her belt, the bout was expected to be a successful swansong for 36-year-old Sexton following a glittering career in the sport.
What transpired was seven-and-a-half minutes of a striking clinic from the Pole, which left former UFC champion Jens Pulver — who was on commentary duty — gobsmacked. Jedrzejczyk gave Sexton just the third stoppage loss of her 12-year career.
Less than two minutes into the fight, Pulver said: “I’m going on record right now, she’s pound-for-pound the strongest striker I’ve ever seen with long hair. This woman is for real.”
Stylistically, Jedrzejczyk is not unlike Conor McGregor in that her level of striking has yet to meet its match and her takedown defence has prevented any significant questions being asked of her ability to compete on the ground.
Nine months after her win over Rosi Sexton, Jedrzejczyk was the UFC’s strawweight champion; a rate of progress even McGregor must be envious of. In total, the 27-year-old was competing in professional MMA for less than three years before clinching the UFC strap.
Unlike Rousey, however, she hasn’t been appearing in movies, magazine covers or pay-per-view main events, but that shouldn’t be relevant for fans who are predominantly interested in what happens inside the octagon.
Jedrzejczyk has the potential to dominate her division too and, while she might not want the film roles and Sports Illustrated cover shoots, she certainly deserves an equal share of the plaudits.
Perhaps another convincing this weekend will bring her closer to achieving that, but being placed on a Fight Pass bill is indicative of the vast differences between Rousey and Jedrzejczyk in terms of their respective profiles.
Of course, the reality is that Joanna Jedrzejczyk isn’t a strong enough draw to headline a pay-per-view card just yet and it’s possible that she never will be.
Although the UFC have been giving her a push in the build-up to her inaugural title defence, having the fight available to view via their online platform only will do little to stem the criticism the organisation has received regarding its seemingly apathetic treatment of the strawweight division.
“She has it in her to be a big, big star in this promotion,” said McGregor. “She’s the champion but she’s still young in the sport. She can fight defensively and she can fight aggressive as well. She’s the full package.”
Rousey said: “She’s that kind of fighter that you just get excited to see. Everyone’s got their own style and nobody can do her style better than she does. She represents the new-stage evolution in women’s MMA.”
Joanna Jedrzejczyk fights Jessica Penne on Saturday in the main event at UFC Fight Night 69 in Berlin. You’re unlikely to be disappointed if you tune in.
