Joanna Jedrzejczyk: Former UFC strawweight champion targets return against Zhang Weili
- Published
Joanna Jedrzejczyk has not fought since March 2020
Polish fighter Joanna Jedrzejczyk says she will return to UFC after a two-year absence - and wants a rematch with Zhang Weili.
The former strawweight champion last fought in March 2020, losing to Weili; her absence sparked retirement rumours.
"Everyone thinks I'm not in the UFC any more - I am," Jedrzejczyk, 34, told Polish TV show Kanal Sportowy.
"I just dropped out of the rankings, because I haven't fought for a dozen or so months."
The Pole also said on Instagram that she is ready to return to action, posting several training videos.
Jedrzejczyk, who turns 35 in August, was once virtually unstoppable in the strawweight division as its undefeated champion.
But since suffering the first defeat of her career, against current champion Rose Namajunas in 2017, Jedrzejczyk has struggled for consistency, losing four of her past six fights.
But China's Weili is in need of an opponent after back-to-back defeats by Namajunas, which could lead to a rematch with Jedrzejczyk.
Weili's split decision win over the Pole almost two years ago is widely considered one of the best championship fights ever.
Inaugural strawweight champion Carla Esparza is set to be given her long-awaited second shot at the title in the coming months against Namajunas and Jedrzejczyk explained she was not prepared to sit on the sidelines waiting to see the outcome of that fight.
"I thought it might be Carla Esparza, but it's been confirmed she is next to fight for the championship," she said.
"There was also [Maria] Rodriguez, but she fights [Xiaonan] Yan in March so that leaves Weili.
"I don't see any other fight. [UFC president] Dana [White] made me an offer to fight for the championship, but I would have to wait until November [or] December and I don't want to wait. I want to fight."