Watch Footage from Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz from 2012
Watch Footage from Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz from 2012
Arguably the biggest fight in Polish and European MMA history is set for UFC 205 and it sees the UFC's first ever all European title fight with Joanna Jedrz
Arguably the biggest fight in Polish and European MMA history is set for UFC 205 and it sees the UFC's first ever all European title fight with Joanna Jedrzejczyk defending her UFC strawweight title against Karolina Kowalkiewicz at Madison Square Garden.
Both Jedrzejczyk (12-0) and Kowalkiewicz (10-0) walk into the fight unbeaten as professionals, but if you dig deep into the archives of their amateur careers, you will have seen that they faced each other in March 2012 at Amateur League MMA 18 in Poland.
Photo Credit: Sherdog
Sherdog's records show that Jedrzejczyk won the fight in the first round via rear-naked choke submission. However, speaking to Polish website Przegladsportowy in 2015, Kowalkiewicz's recollection of the fight suggested that it actually went into overtime.
"Jedrzejczyk was my idol before, I was following her amateur career," Kowalkiewicz said in 2015. "When I heard that I had to fight with her I was a little stressed and indeed I lost in additional time. I was gassed a little and I lost."
Four years on now from that fight, Kowalkiewicz now believes the she is ready to face the challenge once again, and that this time around, she is prepared to cause the upset on the biggest stage of all at Madison Square Garden.
"I am ready for this fight," Kowalkiewicz said yesterday at the UFC 205 press conference in New York,. "I've worked for this. I can't wait and my dreams have come true. Joanna is the best in the world and I want to fight with the best."
Both Jedrzejczyk (12-0) and Kowalkiewicz (10-0) walk into the fight unbeaten as professionals, but if you dig deep into the archives of their amateur careers, you will have seen that they faced each other in March 2012 at Amateur League MMA 18 in Poland.
Photo Credit: Sherdog
Sherdog's records show that Jedrzejczyk won the fight in the first round via rear-naked choke submission. However, speaking to Polish website Przegladsportowy in 2015, Kowalkiewicz's recollection of the fight suggested that it actually went into overtime.
"Jedrzejczyk was my idol before, I was following her amateur career," Kowalkiewicz said in 2015. "When I heard that I had to fight with her I was a little stressed and indeed I lost in additional time. I was gassed a little and I lost."
Four years on now from that fight, Kowalkiewicz now believes the she is ready to face the challenge once again, and that this time around, she is prepared to cause the upset on the biggest stage of all at Madison Square Garden.
"I am ready for this fight," Kowalkiewicz said yesterday at the UFC 205 press conference in New York,. "I've worked for this. I can't wait and my dreams have come true. Joanna is the best in the world and I want to fight with the best."