The best and worst from UFC Fight Night 161: Jedrzejczyk vs. Waterson

#2 Best: Joanna Jedrzejczyk returns to championship form

Joanna Jedrzejczyk's performance last night was her best since 2017

Coming into last night’s main event against Michelle Waterson, there can be no doubt that Joanna Jedrzejczyk was under pressure. The former Strawweight champion had gone 1-3 in her last 4 bouts, and to be honest, hadn’t looked in truly convincing form since her last successful title defence against Jessica Andrade way back in May 2017.

Last night changed all that, though, and it looked like ‘Joanna Champion’ was back to her best. She basically shellacked Waterson for five straight rounds, controlling every aspect of the fight, from the pace to the distance in which it was fought at. Her combinations looked on point, she shrugged off Waterson’s clinch and takedown attempts, and in the end, she landed over 200 strikes, an insane clip by anyone’s standards.

Waterson hung tough and in all honesty, did well not to be finished given the punishment she sustained over 25 minutes. But her bloodstained white fight top told the story; this was a one-sided beating.

Will it be enough to net Joanna a chance to reclaim her title? I think it will; Tatiana Suarez might be hovering on the horizon, but right now a Weili Zhang/Jedrzejczyk fight makes more sense to me. And going by this, there’s every chance the Polish star reclaims the gold, too.