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Tecia Torres details intense face-off with Joanna Jedrzejczyk: ‘She’s not scary at all’

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CALGARY – Win or lose, there’s one thing to always expect from Joanna Jedrzejczyk on fight week: intense face-offs.

So it was really no surprise for Tecia Torres when, at Thursday’s media day ahead of their UFC on FOX 30 encounter, Jedrzejczyk (14-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) got in her face. Which is not to say the whole thing went exactly as Torres (10-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) imagined.

“I thought it would be a little bit more than that,” Torres told reporters, including MMAjunkie. “It is what it is, but it was fine. She’s not scary at all.”

So things didn’t get that physically intense, but the strawweights did steal the spotlight a bit, as those watching were left wondering what they said to each other under their breath.

There’s no need to wonder anymore.

“She said, ‘Welcome to hell,’” Torres said. “I told her, ‘I’m not scared.’ Then she said, ‘Just wait until the octagon door closes.’ I said ‘OK, I’m ready.’ And that’s what it was.”

We’ll see whether that holds up when they square off again tomorrow at the weigh-ins. But, in any case, the tension between the two will get sorted out Saturday at Scotiabank Saddledome in a FOX-televised main-card bout that carries high stakes in the 115-pound division once ruled by Jedrzejczyk.

As for what exactly those stakes are? Well, the two may have one slight disagreement there.

Jedrzejczyk, who’s coming off two consecutive title losses to current champ Rose Namajunas, believes a win over Torres should be enough to warrant her a new stab at the belt.

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Torres, meanwhile, also believes that beating Jedrzejczyk could put her in prime position for a title shot. But, with former title challengers Jessica Andrade and Karolina Kowalkievicz set to meet at UFC 228, she doesn’t think the same holds true for her foe.

“On my end, I think it can catapult me to that No. 1 contender spot, as no one else has been able to beat Joanna except for Rose,” Torres said. “But should Joanna become victorious this weekend, I don’t think she’ll be catapulted right back in there.”

If Torres, in fact, stamps her title shot, that could make for an interesting situation. While she’s fought Namajunas before, in a UFC on FOX 19 encounter that the champ won via unanimous decision, their relationship is probably a little different now that the two have been training together “solidly” for the past year.

So how are “Tiny Tornado” and “Thug Rose” going about a possible match-up?

“At the end of the day, business is business,” Torres said. “We know there’s a possibility of us fighting down the line. But my main focus has been Joanna, and there’s been no thought of fighting Rose.”

It’s with that same mindset that Torres is going about a situation that could have been upsetting. Torres trained for six years at American Top Team, which Jedrzejczyk currently represents in the octagon. While the coaches who’ll be on Jedrzejczyk’s corner are not necessarily the same that worked with Torres in the past, there’s bound to be some cross-over there.

Torres, however, says there is no weirdness or concerns that this might be a disadvantage for her coming into the meeting.

“At the end of the day, it’s a business, and there’s no hard feelings,” Torres said. “At least I don’t have any for ATT, and I’m sure they don’t for me as well. Because I left on good terms, and it was because I was following my heart.”

It doesn’t take much of an expert to point out that Jedrzejczyk’s advantage lies in her striking. Torres, of course, is aware of that, and though she thinks the ex-champ is a great fighter all around, it’s in the wrestling and jiu-jitsu departments that she is still learning and evolving.

But, even if that’s where Torres believes Jedrzejczyk is most vulnerable, Torres also believes her karate base might bode well with the former champion’s muay Thai.

“She’s going to be in for a surprise,” Torres said. “I think there hasn’t been many girls who could match her speed, and I’ll be able to do that.”

And for more on UFC on FOX 30, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

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