Julie Kedzie will make her UFC debut this coming Saturday at UFC on Fox: Johnson vs. Moraga.
When the event comes to pass this Saturday, you should definitely cheer for Kedzie.
Her 10-year professional career will finally reach the grandest stage when she meets Germaine de Randamie in a bantamweight clash. They enter as the No. 8- and No. 10-ranked fighters in the organization.
Kedzie has an infectious personality. When she appears on your screen it bleeds through. It’s hard not to smile when she speaks. The positive energy is a welcome change from the type-A personalities that need to be on edge for every fight.
Her personality is a bright spot in the Invicta FC commentary booth. Her knowledge of the sport assists as a color commentator.
She loves the sport, and it shows.
It is also nice to see a pioneer of women’s MMA still active, and still at the top of her game. One of the fighters who helped build this section of the sport gets a chance to live her dream. She will step through the curtains on the biggest stage the sport has to offer. That will be an exciting moment.
Kedzie is currently on a two-fight losing streak. She lost to Alexis Davis via unanimous decision in 2011, and returned to the cage in 2012 against Miesha Tate. Kedzie was on her way to defeat Tate when she was caught in an armbar. She is still one of the best women in the division.
It will be a welcome sight to see Kedzie break that streak.
Her fight with Tate was fantastic. A head kick nearly gave Kedzie the TKO win, but the future UFC bantamweight title challenger was able to survive. Kedzie is still able to compete with the elite of the division, and that gives her an outside shot at climbing the ranks in order to be a future contender herself.
Kedzie will want to take this fight to the mat.
De Randamie is a quality kickboxer who has made the transition to MMA. Her MMA debut was against Vanessa Porto. Not an easy introduction to the sport. She dropped that bout via submission in 2008.
De Randamie is now 3-2 in the sport, and is coming off a victory against Hiroko Yamanaka in August of last year. She will move back down to 135 pounds now that she is contracted to the UFC. The fight on Saturday should be very fun.
Both women deserve praise before, during and after the fight. However, there is something special about Kedzie. Her bubbly persona will be placed aside for 15 minutes as she gets to work. She already has a stable of fans, but once she appears on the preliminary card for UFC on Fox she will gain even more notoriety.
The women’s MMA pioneer will be one person on the card you will want to stand and cheer for come Saturday.
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