UFC president Dana White sat in amazement along with the rest of the MMA world as Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Claudia Gadelha put on a show in the main event of The Ultimate Fighter 23 Finale.
In the end, it was the reigning UFC strawweight champion claiming a decision, using her cardio to wear down Gadelha and remain unbeaten.
“This was a sick fight,: White said. “It was everything that I thought it would be. Joanna’s striking is nasty. She has the unbelievable killer instinct. If she senses her opponent is on the ropes, she steps on the gas tank. Claudia has heart. She made it five rounds. It was a great fight.”
The boss also discussed tonight’s UFC 200 bout between Daniel Cormier and Anderson Silva. “The Spider” is stepping in on two days notice to meet the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion in a non-title affair.
“Joe Silva is calling him Anderson ‘The Savior’ Silva now,” he said. “In this sport, when the opportunity pops up, you’re crazy not to take it. Michael Bisping said it best when he faced Luke Rockhold again: ‘no two fights are the same.’ Anything is possible. DC has been through a nightmare this week. Hats off to DC, others would have broken and not taken the fight.”
With all the changes to the lineup, officials moved Miesha Tate-Amanda Nunes for the bantamweight belt into the headline role for the historic card.
“Women headlined (Friday) and (tonight) – the women are strong,” White said. “I know, I’m the guy who said women would never be in the UFC and now, here we are, and women are headlining this fight and UFC 200.”
