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Joanna Jedrzejczyk ‘very open’ to Valentina Shevchenko fight for UFC flyweight title

MOSCOW – Former UFC women’s strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk indicated she’s got some business issues to work through before she agrees to a flyweight title fight.

Assuming those are resolved, Jedrzejczyk (14-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) welcomes a chance to win the vacant title by defeating former foe Valentina Shevchenko (15-3 MMA, 4-2 UFC).

“Who knows – maybe this year,” Jedrzejczyk told MMAjunkie, adding: “The thing is, I’m very open to move up and face Valentina. I always want to face the best athletes, the best fighters in the world, and Valentina is one of the greatest muay Thai and also MMA fighters.

“I’m very open, but I must sit down and discuss some things. We’ll see what’s going to happen.”

Jedrzejczyk said she’s been jetting around the world working with sponsors and other business partners, so she hasn’t fully caught up on what’s going on in the sport. She missed, for example, the dominant performance of Tatiana Suarez, who sparked title talk after stopping ex-champ Carla Esparza at UFC 228.

Jedrzejczyk didn’t miss last Saturday’s co-main event, a title eliminator between Karolina Kowalkiewicz (12-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC) and Jessica Andrade (19-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC), which Andrade won by vicious knockout.

“I really thought Karolina was going to do better, but you can’t take punches with no guard from Jessica Andrade, so it was a big mistake,” the ex-champ said of her Polish colleague. “But I believe Karolina will be back very soon, and I hope she stays strong.”

The fight solidified Andrade’s spot as the No. 1 contender in the strawweight division, a class Jedrzejczyk once ruled before a pair of losses to current champ Rose Namajunas (7-3 MMA, 5-2 UFC). But another spot opened up when UFC 228’s original co-headliner, a flyweight title fight between champ Nicco Montano (7-3 MMA, 5-2 UFC) and Shevchenko, was called off after Montano suffered a tough weight cut and wasn’t cleared to fight. The UFC subsequently stripped Montano of the belt.

Immediately, fans and pundits pointed to Jedrzejczyk as a title contender. Jedrzejczyk repeatedly spoke of moving up to the 125-pound division after tying ex-bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey’s record of six title defenses, a goal she fell short of in losing to Namajunas. And she has history with Shevchenko, who thrice beat her on the amateur kickboxing circuit.

“One of my biggest dreams is becoming a champion in the 125-pound division and becoming a champion in two different divisions,” Jedrzejczyk said. “I’m still dreaming about it, and I know it’s going to happen sooner than later.”

Prior to her previous appearance, a decision win over Tecia Torres in July, Jedrzejczyk put off talk of a move up in weight, instead targeting another strawweight title shot. Since then, one has yet to materialize.

Jedrzejczyk has repeatedly asserted her opinion that she won a rematch with Namajunas at UFC 223. Prior to her fight with Torres, she doubted the validity of an injury keeping Namajunas out of action. But with two official losses, and Namajunas writing off a third fight, there appears to be little support for her plan. That may open the door to Shevchenko.

In 2015, Jedrzejczyk defended the UFC’s pay scale, saying fighters who invest in the promotion get a twofold return. Whether that remains the case is unknown.

For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

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