UFC 205: Joanna Jedrzejczyk Retains Title, Remains Undefeated

UFC strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk remained undefeated in the biggest card in UFC history.

Joanna Jedrzejczyk defeated fellow undefeated Polish phenom Karolina Kowalkiewicz via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46) at UFC 205 on Saturday at Madison Square Garden.

Extending her undefeated pro MMA record to 13-0, 6-0 in the UFC, Jedrzejczyk lived up to her label as the favorite in this bout. Jedrzejczyk has now defended her title four times, second only to current flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson.

While many thought this fight would be the main event for a card in Poland adding it to a stacked UFC 205 card in New York was too much for matchmakers to resist. New York has a large Polish presence which made it perfect for the two Polish fighters to fight for the strawweight title.

Jedrzejczyk dominated the mostly stand up fight landing 3-4 punch combinations that almost always ended with kicks. Kowalkiewicz tried time and time again to get the fight to the ground but we saw the champion’s ever improving takedown defense stop that game plan.

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There was plenty of clinching initiated by the challenger that was shaken off by champion. Jedrzejczyk showed the ability to keep the fight where she wants it no matter who she’s fighting.

Kowalkiewicz would try to close the distance only to eat counter combinations from Jedrzejczyk. It was watching one great striker taking on an elite-level striker in Jedrzejczyk.

Halfway through the third round Kowalkiewicz seemed to slow down after taking a lot of punishment through the first two rounds.

Kowalkiewicz did hurt Jedrzejczyk in the fourth round landing a big right hand on the nose of the champion. Jedrzejczyk seemed to have ducked right into it and the challenger’s confidence definitely rose from that exchange.

The champion recovered in the fifth round taking control of the fight once more using the leg kicks to keep Kowalkiewicz from mounting much of an offense.

The champion asked for the UFC to go to Poland next year in the post-fight interview. No plans have been announced for such an event to happen.