Jedrzejczyk aims for two belts in 2017

UFC women’s strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk successfully defended her title for the fourth time at UFC 205. In the main event, Conor McGregor became the first man to hold two belts at once in the UFC. During a recent appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, Jedrzejczyk said she aims to become the first woman to do so. And she thinks it can happen in 2017.

“Sure, I think that can happen in 2017,” said Jedrzejczyk, as transcribed by Danny Segura for MMA Fighting. “I think that I earned that, I deserved that, and I feel like I’ve gotten so much attention from the media, the international media, and from Dana. I’ve put on great work again, a great fight, and I think this might happen. I’m very calm, enjoying my victory. I have some stuff to do, I’m going to enjoy my time with my family, and then, I’m going to talk to the UFC, talk to Dana, and we’ll figure out what to do.”

“I’m very calm, enjoying my victory. I have some stuff to do, I’m going to enjoy my time with my family, and then, I’m going to talk to the UFC, talk to Dana, and we’ll figure out what to do.”

The UFC currently has two women’s weight divisions, to the eight for men. Women compete in the 115 strawweight division or the 135 bantamweight divisions. The idea has long been that with 115 and 135, three or more divisions are covered, as women at 125 can move up or down, and women above can cut to 135, and women below can put on some size to compete at 115.

However, the new division with the greatest depth is not 105 or 145, it is 125. In fact, the UFC held its first flyweight fight at UFC Fight Night 89 on June 18, 2016 in Ottawa, Ontario, with Joanne Calderwood TKOing Valerie Letourneau. Jedrzejczyk thinks it is the beginning of a new division.

Jedrzejczyk not only foresees a women’s 125 division, she sees and event in her native Poland as well.

“Of course,” Jedrzejczyk said. “I want this show in Poland, and I think that I will fight in the second part of 2017, why not?”