Chael Sonnen explains why he picks Joanna Jedrzejczyk over Zhang Weili despite the Pole being inactive
The second act of Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Zhang Weili's rivalry is upon us as the two will meet again tonight at UFC 275. Despite her two-year absence from competition, the Polish fighter is set to win this time, according to Chael Sonnen.
‘The American Gangster’ feels that Jedrzejczyk will have the advantage of having a clear mind. It is something she could achieve only by taking a break from competition, unlike her opponent, who stayed active after their fight at UFC 248. What’s more, Jedrzejczyk stayed in shape, unlike many other fighters who take an extended break from fighting.
Chael Sonnen had this to say about Joanna Jedrzejczyk in a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel:
“She stayed in shape, that’s very accurate by me… And there is something to be said for a break, not only for the physicality but for the mentality. There’s nothing more helpful in combat, or sports as a whole, than having a clear mind. And you cannot get a clear mind when you’re taking on a full schedule. You get bogged down, it’s one of the challenges you’ve got to overcome. Historically, I would always give that to Weili. I’m giving it to Joanna.”
Watch Chael Sonnen talk about why he is picking Joanna Jedrzejczyk over Zhang Weili in the video below:
Chael Sonnen on changed parameters of Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Zhang Weili 2
In the same YouTube video, Sonnen went on to point out another important factor that could affect the outcome of the rematch between the two.
The first fight at UFC 248 was an action-packed strawweight title contest that is now considered as the greatest bout in women’s MMA history. That fight was a five-round affair. Each round was packed with explosive striking offense that kept the audience on the edge of their seats.
Grab that popcorn. 🍿
Zhang and Joanna delivering through R1! #UFC248 https://t.co/h2cnNgBwEh
This time, however, both ladies will have only three rounds to get the victory. That changes everything because nobody will hold back now. Chael Sonnen said:
“Three rounds as opposed [to] five, it’s extremely relevant. Nobody is holding back now. Nobody has anything to manage.”
The analyst went on to state that athletes’ greatest fear is fatigue, but both fighters have excellent cardio, which promises an action-packed fight.