Joanna Jedrzejczyk dominated Carla Esparza at UFC 185 on Saturday night. But it’s possible the fight might have been won before it even began, according to the new UFC women’s strawweight champion.
Jedrzejczyk told Ariel Helwani on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour that she thought she got into Esparza’s head building up to the title bout in Dallas. Jedrzejczyk was the break-out star of fight week, stealing the show on UFC Embedded.
The Poland native got right into Esparza’s grill during staredowns, told her she would take the smile off her face after media day and then gave her a cookie before another intense staredown at weigh-ins. Mind games were all part of Jedrzejczyk’s plan, it seems.
“I think I break her,” she told Helwani. “She didn’t know what to expect. Maybe she thought that I am crazy. I am really nice. But not in the cage.”
UFC color commentator Joe Rogan reported on the UFC 185 broadcast that the cookie Jedrzejczyk handed to Esparza was actually expired. Jedrzejczyk denied that.
“No, it was good,” she said with a laugh. “We bought this cookie at 7-11 the day before.”
Jedrzejczyk said there is no personal animosity toward Esparza. She spoke to Esparza directly after the fight and had kind words.
“I told her I like her,” Jedrzejczyk said. “She’s still good fighter. I hope we’re gonna meet each other in the future. That’s all.”
The undefeated Jedrzejczyk (9-0) was still in Dallas as of Monday, but is returning to Poland this week. She said she had messages from one of her coaches that there will be plenty of press obligations waiting for her when she gets back to Olsztyn.
“He said everyone is crazy about me,” Jedrzejczyk said. “The media is going to wait at the airport and they’re gonna arrange some press conference in my city, because the media go crazy, you know?”
The dynamic, technical striker definitely made thousands of fans last week. UFC president Dana White was already one of them. He told Helwani over the weekend that UFC 185 headliner Anthony Pettis and Jedrzejczyk were among his favorite fighters. White pulled the new champion aside and congratulated her afterward.
“He said it was amazing and he was happy for me,” she said. “He said after the press conference that he’s a big fan of me and he’s gonna be in Krakow and we’re gonna enjoy the show together.”
The UFC does make its debut in Poland on April 11, a card headlined by Mirko Cro Cop and Gabriel Gonzaga that will air on UFC Fight Pass. Jedrzejczyk will not compete, of course, but she will be in attendance and very interested in two matchups: Claudia Gadelha vs. Aisling Daly and Joanne Calderwood vs. Maryna Moroz.
Jedrzejczyk defeated Gadelha at UFC on FOX 13 in December via split decision. Many people thought the Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist won that very close fight. Jedrzejczyk said she could get Gadelha or Calderwood, another top striker, next.
“One of them could be my future opponent, but I don’t know who,” she said. “So we’re gonna see. Even Dana doesn’t know.”
If Calderwood wins, there would be a movement to pit her against Jedrzejczyk in Calderwood’s home country of Scotland. The UFC heads to Glasgow in July. Jedrzejczyk said she wouldn’t mind taking the bout in enemy territory.
“It doesn’t matter,” she said. “I’m gonna be the same. But I like to fight in the U.S.”
And train in the U.S., too. Though Jedrzejczyk wants to continue living in Poland, she did open the door for more training in the states. She spent the final week of her camp at Drysdale Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Las Vegas.
“I will stay in Poland, but I will come to U.S.,” she said. “In U.S., there are lot of good fighters, female fighters. Lots of different sparring partners. So it’s good.”
Everything is good right now for Jedrzejczyk, the first Polish fighter to ever win a UFC belt.
“I feel like I’m still sleeping, you know?” she said. “I still can’t believe. Every day I’m more happy. It’s coming into me. It’s good. I’m happy.”