The UFC women’s strawweight division got a new top contender on Saturday night when Karolina Kowalkiewicz earned a hard fought split decision victory over Rose Namajunas in the co-main event of UFC 201.
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On her next fight: “Can I say something?” “I want to fight the best, and I will beat the best”.
Kowalkiewicz landed 131 of her 278 attempted strikes (47 percent) against Namajunas, including 85 of the 229 significant strikes she threw in the fight, many of which were knees to her opponent’s midsection. I am ready for her. She said that I’m not on her level.
“Joanna is very good fighter. Polish power versus Polish power”. Now she wants to fight fellow Polish fighter and current UFC strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk in her next fight. In fact, it’s particularly because she has respect for her that she wants the fight.
Jedrzejczyk has also since stated that she no longer feels the need to prove she is the best in Poland because she the UFC belt she carries already gives her the label of the best in the world. Much of the round was in Kowalkiewicz’s zone, fighting from the clinch, and her effectiveness showed as Namajunas slowed down dramatically by the end of the frame. “Maybe I’m not the best but I can be the best”.
It sounds like Kowalkiewicz is gunning for an all-Poland showdown and she’s like to face Jedrzejczyk as early as November at UFC 205 with the gold on the line.
Namajunas (5-3) had her three-fight win streak snapped with the loss.
Whether it’s NY or Poland it looks like Kowalkiewicz will get her wish and she will get the chance to face Jedrzejczyk with the title on the line later this year.
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White, however, was clear that he’s leaning toward that fight happening in Poland, but only time will tell which way they go with it.
