UFC women’s flyweight contender Joanne Calderwood fought her way to a title shot vs. Valentina Shevchenko, scheduled for UFC 251 on July 11, 2020. When “Bullet” suffered an injury and pulled out, the obvious thing would be to wait. However, JoJo instead gamely stepped in on short notice vs. Jennifer Maia at UFC on ESPN+ 31 on August 1 in Las Vegas, after Maia’s previously contract opponent Viviane Araujo tested positive for COCID-19.
Prior to the fight, Calderwood explained the decision on her social network. Then she lost, and with it went the title fight, which went to Maia, who lost a unanimous decision at UFC 255 on November 21, 2020.
JoJo fights Jessica Eye on the main card of Saturday’s UFC 257, and at a pre-fight news conference Tuesday, she was asked if she had any regrets about not waiting for the title shot.
I definitely regret it because I injured my arm, and I had to deal with that, said Calderwood. There was some stuff afterward that didn’t go as planned. I regret it a little bit, but I try to see it as a positive. Everything happens for a reason. Here I am, not even a couple of months later, and fighting, so I’m looking forward to that.
I see [Eye] every day at the PI. She walks around like this school bully. She rubs me and she rubs everyone else up the wrong way. I feel like I’m the lucky one who gets to punch her and get paid for it.”
Calderwood was asked if the fight was personal, if it was a grudge match.
We don’t like each other, so yeah,” she replied. “I wouldn’t say we’re putting a lot of trash out there. Last week, before I left here, she was trying to talk to me in the changing room. So I don’t if it’s that much of a grudge. I think it’s more for show. For me, I’m just here to turn up and do my job and tell you guys honestly my opinion.
h/t Nolan King and John Morgan for MMA Junkie
