5 Opponents for Joanna Jedrzejczyk if she returns to flyweight
Joanna Jedrzejczyk was one of the greatest women’s champions in UFC history. Prior to her title loss to Rose Namajunas at UFC 217, she had an unbeaten 14-0 MMA record. Her fights were entertaining and the animosity with some of her opponents was palpable, bringing more attention to the strawweight division.
‘JJ’ has been linked to a rematch with former strawweight champion Zhang Weili. The two competed in arguably the greatest women’s fight in UFC history in 2020. Aside from a rematch with Weili, it would be a tough sell if the promotion gave her another title shot.
In the meantime, perhaps the former strawweight champion could return to flyweight, where there are more intriguing fights for her. A return to 125 lbs could rejuvenate her career and allow her to make another attempt at becoming a two-division champion. This list will look at five possible opponents for Joanna Jedrzejczyk if she returns to flyweight.
#5) Jedrzejczyk vs. Casey O’Neill
Based on the landscape of the flyweight division, Casey O’Neill vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk could be realistic should she return to 125lbs. She is currently one of the most exciting prospects and could be in the top-10 in the coming months.
‘King’ has an unbeaten 9-0 MMA record and is coming off a win over veteran Roxanne Modafferi. It was a great test for her, as ‘The Happy Warrior’ was durable and resilient throughout the fight. She was awarded a split-decision win in what ended up being Modafferi’s final bout.
O’Neill is in for another tough test as she’s scheduled to compete against former title challenger Jessica Eye at UFC 276. If she can defeat ‘Evil’, she will definitely move into the top-10 of the division. Depending on what transpires in that fight, 'King' could be a logical opponent for 'JJ' if she chooses to move up to flyweight.