UFC 248: Joanna Jedrzejczyk Outlines How She Plans to Beat “Strong Animal”, Zhang Weili

Zhang Weili has done nothing but impress since she arrived in the UFC, and the Chinese star needed less than a minute to take the strawweight crown from Jessica Andrade. But, while Joanna Jedrzejczyk isn’t dismissing how powerful the new champ is, she has a plan to reclaim the 115 belt.

Jedrzejczyk outlines keys to defeat Weili

Jedrzejczyk (16-3) has been tapped to face Weili (20-1) at UFC 248, which will take place on March 7th in Las Vegas. Jedrzejczyk has been booked for another shot at the strawweight title, after failed to beat Valentina Shevhenko for the flyweight title, and following a decision win over Michelle Wateron.

Recently the Polish star was a guest on the UFC’s podcast, and while discussing Weili, Jedrzejczyk said this (quotes via MMA Junkie):

“Definitely ‘and the new,’ but she’s strong animal,” Jedrzejczyk said. “She’s so big. She’s huge, and she throws very hard punches, but I’m more experienced, I think, through these championship bouts so many times, so I’m a real fighter. My conditioning is always on point, and I will have to be very clever, very sneaky, as well, and I think this fight with Zhang will be similar to the fight with Jessica Andrade.”

“They both are very, very similar fighters,” Jedrzejczyk said. “Going forward, throwing loopy punches, looking for good wrestling, like strong wrestling. They’re not very technical fighters, but they’re very, very strong, so I think this fight is going to be very similar. I have to cut the angles, slip, counter, use my timing, my length, my reach. There’s much more coming.”

“…I’m very proud of myself, how I showed up in my last fight with Michelle Waterson. I think I sent a strong message to the strawweight division. Good striking, good wrestling, everything was on point.”

Sounds like a plan right? Although, Weili and her team would likely take issue with Jedrzejczyk’s take that the champ isn’t “very technical”. It will be interesting to see if Joanna can hand Zhang her first loss since 2013, snap her 20 fight win streak and start a second reign as the strawweight champ.

UFC 248 line-up

Here is the line-up to date for UFC 248, which will be hosted by the T-Mobile arena.

Zhang Weili vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
Jared Cannonier vs. Robert Whittaker
Danaa Batgerel vs. Guido Cannetti
Polyana Viana vs. Emily Whitmire
Li Jingliang vs. Neil Magny
Beneil Dariush vs. Drakkar Klose
Sean O’Malley vs. Jose Quinonez
Calvin Kattar vs. Jeremy Stephens

Line-up via MMA Junkie