UFC flyweight champ Demetrious Johnson recently appeared on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast and said he thinks Paige VanZant is the only current fighter who can defeat UFC stawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk.
“You look at Joanna Jedrzejczyk, amazing striker – she’s developed a way to not get taken down,” Johnson said. “What I saw from her last fight (against Valerie Letourneau at UFC 193), and granted she broke her hand, but what I saw from that fight, was I know the person who can beat her now. I think the person who will be able to beat her – dethrone her – will be Paige VanZant.”
“The thing I see from Joanna is she’s a standup artist and hits like a (expletive) truck, but the thing I see from Paige VanZant is she’s still green and still new, but the pace she puts on people. The pace Valerie put on Joanna when Joanna wasn’t hurting Valerie – I could see Joanna start to slow down just a little bit. If Valerie had a little more wrestling, a little more diverse fighting – that’s what Paige brings when she fights. She puts on a high pace where she’s in your face…That pace is going to give Joanna Jedrzejczyk a problem. Obviously Joanna is going to be prepared for her and have her great takedown defense, but I think if Paige VanZant comes in like, ‘I’m going to get in your (expletive) face,’ (she will win). I believe Paige can do that if she has the right skills, the right coaching and the right attitude and is ready to get (expletive) hit a lot.”
Before VanZant can get a title fight, she has to beat Rose Namajunas at UFC Fight Night 80 on Thursday, December 10th. This event will kick off a three-day stretch of events that will end at UFC 194. VanZant is currently on a four-fight winning streak with a record of 6-1.
