Joanna Jedrzejczyk justifies immediate rematch: UFC knows I am ‘the best strawweight in the world’

Joanna Jedrzejczyk believes that the UFC still sees her as the best strawweight in the world despite her first-round loss to Rose Namajunas at UFC 217.

The former champion left her nutrition team, Perfecting Athletes, after she claimed they made “unforgivable mistakes” with her weight cut in the lead up to her first professional loss at the hands of Namajunas.

Ahead of their rematch in the co-main event of UFC 223 on April 7, Jedrzejczyk stated that she will not have to endure a significant cut to register championship weight.

“I don’t want to make this mistake again. I had such big troubles with the weight cut before my first fight with Rose Namajunas, but I’m ready. I’m prepared,” Jedrzejczyk said on a conference call Wednesday. “You can see that my weight is super low. I will not go through the weight cut because I’m going to be on point.”

The Polish strawweight says she has enrolled a new team to help her with her nutrition this time around.

“The trick is the knowledge,” Jedrzejczyk said. “Of course, the camp prepares me for every fight, it’s all about the camp, but sometimes we should trust ourselves more than the other people. For weeks I have been working with a new nutrition team and I feel great with them.”

She added: “The weight is good. I finished the camp strong. Everything is on point. I’ve kept more attention on everything.”

Jedrzejczyk doesn’t think Namajunas had any choice in whether she would receive an immediate rematch after UFC 217. According to the decorated Muay Thai champion, Dana White told her she would get her chance at revenge immediately after their first bout.

“[Namajunas] is the champion and she could do whatever she wanted to do, but it was not up to her. Right after the fight, Dana said that I would get the rematch,” she said. “I love Dana as a human being. He is my boss and it’s a pleasure for me to fight for the UFC. I don’t care what people say, he keeps his word. This is what I like about him and the UFC.”

Jedrzejczyk suggested that the UFC still believe she is the best strawweight in the world and all that’s left to do is for her to prove that status at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn next Saturday.

“[UFC] knew about this weight cut and how my weight cut impacted my performance that night. They know who is the best strawweight in the world and I will prove that on April 7,” she said. “I’m very happy that I will face Rose. I think I couldn’t stand someone fighting her before me because this belt belongs to me and I put on such a great camp to prove that to all of you guys.”