Tag: Julie Kedzie

Alexandra Albu vs. Julie Kedzie Booked for UFC Fight Night 33 in Brisbane


(You’re hired. / Photo via MixedMartialArts.com)

Bantamweight babe Alexandra Albu just picked up her first assignment in the UFC. The Russian striker — who holds a completely unverifiable record of “5-0” — will make her Octagon debut against WMMA journeywoman Julie Kedzie (16-12 MMA, 0-1 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 33: Hunt vs. Bigfoot, December 6th in Brisbane, Australia. UFC officials announced the bout yesterday.

Normally, this would be the part where I’d lament the fact that the UFC is throwing a total rookie (and such a pretty girl!) up against a veteran with 28 professional fights, but you know what, I’m not going to do that this time. Kedzie has spent her career tangling with elite fighters like Tara LaRosa, Gina Carano, Shayna Baszler, and Miesha Tate…and she’s been beaten by all of them. The crazy cat lady is currently on a three-fight losing skid, and hasn’t won a fight in over two years. Maybe her “experience edge” just means she knows how to lose. I don’t know. I’m not going to count Alexandra out yet. There’s just something about this woman.

The current UFC Fight Night 33 lineup is after the jump…


(You’re hired. / Photo via MixedMartialArts.com)

Bantamweight babe Alexandra Albu just picked up her first assignment in the UFC. The Russian striker — who holds a completely unverifiable record of “5-0″ — will make her Octagon debut against WMMA journeywoman Julie Kedzie (16-12 MMA, 0-1 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 33: Hunt vs. Bigfoot, December 6th in Brisbane, Australia. UFC officials announced the bout yesterday.

Normally, this would be the part where I’d lament the fact that the UFC is throwing a total rookie (and such a pretty girl!) up against a veteran with 28 professional fights, but you know what, I’m not going to do that this time. Kedzie has spent her career tangling with elite fighters like Tara LaRosa, Gina Carano, Shayna Baszler, and Miesha Tate…and she’s been beaten by all of them. The crazy cat lady is currently on a three-fight losing skid, and hasn’t won a fight in over two years. Maybe her “experience edge” just means she knows how to lose. I don’t know. I’m not going to count Alexandra out yet. There’s just something about this woman.

The current UFC Fight Night 33 lineup is after the jump…

Mark Hunt vs. Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs. James Te Huna
Ryan Bader vs. Anthony Perosh
Takeya Mizugaki vs. Nam Phan
Pat Barry vs. Soa Palelei
Dylan Andrews vs. Clint Hester
Caio Magalhaes vs. Nick Ring
Brian Melancon vs. Robert Whittaker
Krzysztof Jotko vs. Bruno Santos
Alex Garcia vs. Andreas Stahl
Aleksandra Albu vs. Julie Kedzie

Alexandra Albu Meets Julie Kedzie at UFC Fight Night 33

The highly anticipated debut of Alexandra Albu finally has a date and an opponent.

The UFC Australian Twitter account broke the news that Albu will take on long time MMA veteran Julie Kedzie in Brisbane, Australia.
Albu’s signing made a splash, in par…

The highly anticipated debut of Alexandra Albu finally has a date and an opponent.

The UFC Australian Twitter account broke the news that Albu will take on long time MMA veteran Julie Kedzie in Brisbane, Australia.

Albu‘s signing made a splash, in part due to her good looks. The Russian is an unknown in the world of mixed martial arts, but she has certainly made an early impression. Albu enters with a confirmed 1-0 record. She will not get an easy fight in her first UFC bout.

Kedzie returns to the UFC’s Octagon after a disappointing debut earlier this year against Germaine de Randamie. The judges were split in the decision, but Kedzie came up just short. It took Kedzie nine years to get to the big show, and she will try to avoid going 0-2 in the women’s bantamweight division.

Kedzie remains ranked No. 9 in the division. Thus, this bout will have significant ramifications in the division. A win for Albu would immediately move her into position for bigger bouts in a shallow division.

This will be the first chance to see what kind of skills Albu possesses. Kedzie is a well-rounded veteran with knockout potential. A lot of the questions about Albu‘s abilities will be answered. Consequently, Kedzie will have the opportunity to get back on the winning track after losing her previous three fights.

The mystique and mystery surrounding Albu now has an end date. This December, we will finally know what kind of ceiling she has on her career.

As the women’s division continues to grow both in talent and popularity, this fight will have a good chance to receive a lot of publicity. A good showing will be big for each woman’s career.

UFC Fight Night 33 hails from Brisbane, Australia on December 7th. The main event features heavyweights Mark Hunt and Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Get to Know UFC on FOX 8?s Germaine de Randamie via These Brutal Knockout Videos

(Props to our buddies at Fightlinker for the find. Fight starts at the 3:45 mark.)

It would be no understatement to say that the casual MMA fan probably knows less than usual about the participants on this weekend’s UFC on FOX 8: Johnson vs. Moraga card. Containing a few more hidden storylines and unknown faces than the average pay-per-view, UFC on FOX 8 is one of those “sleeper” cards alright, which usually means that we’ll be in for a surprisingly good time come fight night (see the TUF 16 Finale).

And perhaps the least known of all the fighters competing on Saturday’s card is (no, not John Moraga) Germaine de Randamie, the Dutch kickboxer and Strikeforce veteran who will be taking on the highly celebrated Julie Kedzie on the FX prelims.

At just 3-2 in professional competition, even us hardcore fans can’t claim to know all that much about “The Iron Lady.” Based on her past Muay Thai and kickboxing endeavors, however, we can determine that Randamie at least partially compensates for her grappling deficiencies by packing a serious wallop on the feet. See the above video of her Muay Thai bout with Angela Rivera, which ends with one of the more brutal head kick KO’s in recent memory, for an example of this. Oh, right, SPOILER and all that.

After the jump: “The Iron Lady” fights a Belgian actor, yes, actor, because this is a strange, beautiful and oft confusing sport that we follow.


(Props to our buddies at Fightlinker for the find. Fight starts at the 3:45 mark.)

It would be no understatement to say that the casual MMA fan probably knows less than usual about the participants on this weekend’s UFC on FOX 8: Johnson vs. Moraga card. Containing a few more hidden storylines and unknown faces than the average pay-per-view, UFC on FOX 8 is one of those “sleeper” cards alright, which usually means that we’ll be in for a surprisingly good time come fight night (see the TUF 16 Finale).

And perhaps the least known of all the fighters competing on Saturday’s card is (no, not John Moraga) Germaine de Randamie, the Dutch kickboxer and Strikeforce veteran who will be taking on the highly celebrated Julie Kedzie on the FX prelims.

At just 3-2 in professional competition, even us hardcore fans can’t claim to know all that much about “The Iron Lady.” Based on her past Muay Thai and kickboxing endeavors, however, we can determine that Randamie at least partially compensates for her grappling deficiencies by packing a serious wallop on the feet. See the above video of her Muay Thai bout with Angela Rivera, which ends with one of the more brutal head kick KO’s in recent memory, for an example of this. Oh, right, SPOILER and all that.

After the jump: “The Iron Lady” fights a Belgian actor, yes, actor, because this is a strange, beautiful and oft confusing sport that we follow.

Props to this Tom Waes character for not holding back; chivalry be damned. Bigger props to Randamie for shattering the glass ceiling (and probably Waes’ jaw) with that monster right hook. Good night Irene…uh…Irving?

–J. Jones

Why You Should Root for Julie Kedzie at UFC on Fox 8

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 …

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.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Julie Kedzie vs. Germaine De Randamie Added to UFC on FOX 8

A women’s bantamweight bout between UFC newcomers Julie Kedzie and Germaine de Randamie has been announced for UFC on Fox 8, according to FoxSports.com.UFC officials announced the bout on Wednesday. The two were originally set to fight back in Septembe…

A women’s bantamweight bout between UFC newcomers Julie Kedzie and Germaine de Randamie has been announced for UFC on Fox 8, according to FoxSports.com.

UFC officials announced the bout on Wednesday. The two were originally set to fight back in September of 2011, but an injury to Kedzie forced the bout’s cancellation. 

The card takes place on July 27 at the Key Arena in Seattle, Washington, the same venue that hosted UFC on Fox 5 last December. 

Kedzie comes over from Strikeforce to make her UFC debut, bringing a two-fight losing streak with her. She was defeated in her Strikeforce debut in July of 2011 by Alexis Davis, dropping a unanimous decision, and she lost her next bout to Miesha Tate via submission last August. 

Like Kedzie, de Randamie is a Strikeforce import, though her career with the promotion was far less tumultuous. The Dutch kickboxer earned two victories in three fights with the San Jose-based promotion.

UFC on Fox 8 currently features a welterweight contest between contenders Jake Ellenberger and Rory MacDonald, and a second welterweight matchup between Robbie Lawler and former Strikeforce champion Tarec Saffiedine has also been confirmed. 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC Lady-Booking Update: Julie Kedzie vs. Germaine de Randamie Added to UFC on FOX 8 in July


(Julie Kedzie steals the show at the EliteXC: Destiny weigh-ins, while some creepy chick named Gina lurks in the background. / Photo via George Ruiz)

What the hell, guys…it’s like the UFC is actually assembling a real women’s bantamweight division, with contenders and prospects and even gatekeepers. Color us impressed. The UFC’s latest female fight-booking is veteran Jackson’s MMA product Julie Kedzie vs. Dutch kickboxer Germaine “The Iron Lady” de Randamie, both of whom spent time in Strikeforce before that organization’s collapse. As first revealed by FOX Sports, the two fighters will meet at UFC on FOX 8, July 27th in Seattle.

A decorated practitioner of the “Fuck This” fighting style (seriously), Kedzie has unfortunately lost her last two contests against Miesha Tate and Alexis Davis, which dropped her career record to 16-11. Since then, she’s kept busy as a member of the Invicta FC broadcast team, and according to Wikipedia, Kedzie is also Greg Jackson’s personal assistant.*


(Julie Kedzie steals the show at the EliteXC: Destiny weigh-ins, while some creepy chick named Gina lurks in the background. / Photo via George Ruiz)

What the hell, guys…it’s like the UFC is actually assembling a real women’s bantamweight division, with contenders and prospects and even gatekeepers. Color us impressed. The UFC’s latest female fight-booking is veteran Jackson’s MMA product Julie Kedzie vs. Dutch kickboxer Germaine “The Iron Lady” de Randamie, both of whom spent time in Strikeforce before that organization’s collapse. As first revealed by FOX Sports, the two fighters will meet at UFC on FOX 8, July 27th in Seattle.

A decorated practitioner of the “Fuck This” fighting style (seriously), Kedzie has unfortunately lost her last two contests against Miesha Tate and Alexis Davis, which dropped her career record to 16-11. Since then, she’s kept busy as a member of the Invicta FC broadcast team, and according to Wikipedia, Kedzie is also Greg Jackson’s personal assistant.*

A former WIKBA World Muay Thai Champion, Germaine de Randamie is just 3-2 overall in MMA, going 2-1 under the Strikeforce banner in 2011-2012. She most recently defeated Hiroko Yamanaka by decision last August. Kedzie and de Randamie were originally supposed to meet at a Strikeforce Challengers event in September 2011, but Kedzie was forced to withdraw due to injury. Wild guess: The winner of this fight will take on the female winner of TUF 18. Random thought: So is Liz Carmouche coming back any time soon or what?

UFC on FOX 8 will be headlined by Rory MacDonald vs. Jake Ellenberger, and will also feature Mac Danzig vs. Melvin Guillard and Robbie Lawler vs. Tarec Saffiedine.

* “Goooooood job, Julie. This is exactly how I want my coffee. Now listen, a little more coffee grounds in the filter next time, and a little less water in the pot. We’re increasing intensity, just like we visualized yesterday. Hey, coffee’s ready Don-Ald-Suh-Ro-Nay.” — made-up quote from Greg Jackson