Joanna Jedrzejczyk will be defending her title soon, but if she is to be believed, Michelle Waterson won’t be sharing the Octagon with her.
The reigning Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) strawweight title holder recently returned to the United States and will be starting her camp with American Top Team soon. Her opponent has yet to be announced, but that didn’t stop speculation from running rampant.
Rumors have been swirling that the “Karate Hottie” Waterson would be next in line for a shot at Jedrzejczyk’s championship at UFC 211. Speaking with reporters (via MMAJunkie.com), the champion denied any truth to the rumors:
“There was a rumor that I’m going to fight Michelle Waterson on (UFC 211), probably, but no, it’s not true. I was surprised because I got so many phone calls, so many messages, because I was super busy for the last three days and I saw the information. I even called (UFC matchmaker) Sean (Shelby) last night and I was like, ‘What’s going on?’ But no, I’m not going to fight Michelle Waterson yet, not on (211).”
Not much is concrete about UFC 211 other than it’ll be held inside the American Airlines Arena in Dallas, Texas on May 13. A heavyweight title match between champion Stipe Miocic and Junior dos Santos is being discussed, but it’s not a done deal.
Jedrzejczyk is undefeated in her mixed martial arts (MMA) career with a record of 13-0. She has made four successful title defenses. Her last bout was against Karolina Kowalkiewicz. The champion earned a unanimous decision win inside Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Meanwhile, Waterson has won two straight bouts and sits at No. 6 in the strawweight rankings. She made quick work of Paige VanZant last month. The former Invicta FC atomweight champion choked out “12 Gauge” in the first round. She earned a “Performance of the Night” bonus for her efforts.
