Joanna Jedrzejczyk, the most successful UFC strawweight champion, has been inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame, becoming the second woman to receive this honor after Ronda Rousey.
Joanna Jedrzejczyk, a legend in UFC strawweight history, has finally made it to the UFC Hall of Fame. Quite the honor, right? The UFC made the big announcement during the UFC 299 event in Miami. It was a Saturday, if you’re curious.
Jedrzejczyk’s induction comes nearly two years post-retirement. Remember her knockout loss to Zhang Weili at UFC 275? That was her last fight.
Weili and Jedrzejczyk, they gave us one hell of a show at UFC 248. Five rounds of pure adrenaline, ending in a split decision loss for Jedrzejczyk. And who can forget that massive hematoma? They bagged MMA Fighting’s “Fight of the Year” and topped the best-of lists for 2020.
Jedrzejczyk had tried to reclaim the strawweight belt four times. Her nemesis? Rose Namajunas, the future two-time champ. Jedrzejczyk’s reign included five title defenses and a regular spot on pound-for-pound lists. She took the belt from Carla Esparza in a one-sided beatdown and held onto it until Namajunas ended her run at UFC 217.
She once ventured into flyweight, facing off against Valentina Shevchenko for the then-vacant 125-pound title. Shevchenko dominated, and Jedrzejczyk went back to 115 pounds.
Jedrzejczyk’s record in the octagon? A solid 10-5. She was undefeated in her first 14 MMA bouts. After retiring, she moved into MMA management and has been a UFC ambassador.
And here’s a fun fact: Jedrzejczyk is only the second woman to be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. The first? None other than former bantamweight champion and superstar Ronda Rousey.