Karolina Kowalkiewicz all but assured her title shot with a split-decision victory over Rose Namajunas at UFC 201.
Kowalkiewicz entered as the No. 5-ranked strawweight with Namajunas holding the No. 3-ranked position, according to the official UFC rankings. Following Joanna Jedrzejczyk’s successful defense against No. 1-ranked contender Claudia Gadelha, it would make the most sense to book the Poland vs. Poland title tilt.
UFC President Dana White agrees.
White told Megan Olivi during their post-fight interview on Fox Sports 1 that the fight is not confirmed, but it does make the most sense. White admitted that he “would love” to book the contest for a card in Poland.
The UFC made its debut in Krakow, Poland in 2015.
Also a possibility is New York City at Madison Square Garden. Olivi suggested to White during the interview that both Kowalkiewicz and Jedrzejczyk mentioned their desire to fight on that card in previous days. White affirmed that it would be a possibility, but double-downed on wanting the possible clash in the fighters’ home country.
Kowalkiewicz, in her post-fight interview with Olivi, said she hopes to fight against Jedrzejczyk in New York.
Kowalkiewicz is an undefeated fighter, but only as a pro. Her last loss was in an amateur bout against Jedrzejczyk who won via submission. The rematch is a long-awaited bout for both women. In the post-fight press release by the UFC, Kowalkiewicz stated simply, “I’m happy I won, and now I want a fight with Joanna Jedrzejczyk.”
Everything is in place except signed contracts, a date and a venue. Those are just minor details. Kowalkiewicz vs. Jedrzejczyk looks all but set, and everyone who is a fight fan should be excited to watch the two strikers come to blows—no matter where it takes place.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com
No comments:
Post a Comment