Joanna Jedrzejczyk successfully defended her bantamweight title with another classy striking display against her fellow Polish fighter Karolina Kowalkiewicz, who actually rocked the champion in the fourth round, but couldn’t find a finish.
Round One:
The woman’s bantamweight title fight is underway and these woman’s names are a nightmare for live play-by-play, so prepare for lots of JJ’s (Jedrzejczyk) and KK’s (Kowalkiewicz) to follow!
Both ladies looking to find their range in the opening minute. Jedrzejczyk with a couple of leg kicks. Fast left and right hands from her.
Another leg kick for JJ, and another right afterwards. Kowalkiewicz tries to land, but it’s JJ who responds with crisp counter-striking, landing a few punches and a leg kick behind it.
Again the champion pieces together a nice combo ending in that kick. Leg kick for JJ. Another beautiful rapid-fire combo. Now back to just single kicks.
Left, right and a kick to the body this time. KK is throwing punches of her own throughout all this, but she’s not finding her range so far, whereas the champion is right on point from the opening bell.
JJ with two high kicks that don’t quite pay off, but it adds variety. Kowalkiewicz presses Jedrzejczyk against the cage, but then JJ reverses the position. Not long before KK gets back in the dominant position and lands a nice elbow to the head before they break free.
Frenetic exchange in the middle of the cage and then JJ tries to clinch against the cage. KK is more effective from this position though and reverses. They jockey for position against the cage then go back to striking range. Both ladies exchange to end the round.
Round Two:
Leg kick for JJ as she avoids firepower coming from KK. Kowalkiewicz staying busy with strikes though and eats a kick, but still drives through it to press JJ to the cage.
Jedrzejczyk gets back to the center of the cage and lands a leg kick. Nice jab for the champion. KK runs forward and eats a counter hook.
Leg kick and a precision one-two from the champion. KK wades in with punches, but JJ moves away to prevent being backed up against the cage.
Leg kicks for JJ. Leg kick again. KK with piston 1-2’s as she moves into range and tries to clinch. Not long before they are back to the center of the Octagon though and JJ lands a body punch.
Leg kicks continue from JJ. Speedy hands still too. Knee strike from JJ is caught by Kowalkiewicz and she drives the champion to the cage. Kowalkiewicz looking for a takedown, but JJ defends well to stay upright and get back to striking range.
Jab lands for JJ. Body kick glances for KK. A lot of her offense comes up short in the fight so far though. She’s staying active, but not neccesarily particularly effective.
JJ with a head kick attempt that ends up getting stuck on KK’s shoulder as she gets driven to the fence.
Back to striking and Karolina starts to find a home for a couple of her punches towards the end of the round. That should the challenger some confidence, but she needs to land like that more consistently.
Round Three:
KK looks for a kick to start. KK pressing forward and eats punches as she closes the distance and drives to the cage. Battling against the cage now and then they break free. JJ with a leg kick.
Solid elbow strike and body kick from JJ. She’s timing KK’s forward bursts nicely and tagging her most times she does so. Push kick for JJ.
Flurry of hands for JJ then a kick. She backs KK to the cage and unleashes another blitz of punches, then backs away.
Three-piece combo from Jedrzejczyk as KK gets into range. JJ outstriking Kowalkiewicz comfortably here, but has yet to really hurt her fellow Polish challenger.
More combos from the champ and a punch lands for Kowalkiewicz. Jedrzejczyk rips her towards the cage and fires off her latest punch – kick combo. Great fluidity to her work.
Back to the center of the Octagon and then the champion clinches up and charges KK back to the cage. KK reverses briefly, then it’s JJ in dominant position again looking for a possible takedown.
She gives up on that but lands knees to the body from the clinch. Solid elbows from the champion as they break apart. KK comes forward and as is often the case gets caught as she gets into range.
Round Four:
Side kick to the body from KK. Body kick for JJ then two to the legs. Another leg kick for the champion. Two push kicks now as she continues to mix it up.
Kowalkiewicz suddenly with a good flurry of punches that connect, but JJ quickly clinches to end that momentum and works her into the cage. KK reverse the position and lands a couple of elbows before departing.
Leg kick for JJ. Another. One-two lands. Constant offense from her. Right hand for JJ as KK tries a spinning kick.
Suddenly the champion gets rocked by a punch to the nose! That definitely hurt her and KK comes charging forward with more punches. JJ trying to regain her bearings as KK looks for a finish.
Jedrzejczyk manages to survive and even threatens with a head kick attempt before working for a takedown to buy herself more time. She tries to take the challengers back, but it’s not long before they are back on the feet.
A little more work from the clinch after KK catches a leg. Back to the center of the cage. Kowalkiewicz lands a punch and catches a kick again.
Spinning backfist each. Leg kicks from both ladies. Jedrzejczyk with a good flurry towards the end of the round, lands some knees and ends with a clubbing punch to the head.
Round Five
Final round then. Nice right hand for KK, but rapid-fire punches in return from the champion. KK looks to clinch, but it’s JJ who pushes her into the cage.
Soon after they break. Leg kick for JJ. Nice right hand for the champion. Now a push kick. KK misses with punches as JJ lands a kick.
More kicks from the champion and then as KK fails to catch one of them she pays for it by eating a few punches.
Leg kick and a push kick for JJ. Now body punches as she dances in and out of range, avoiding KK’s own attempts to connect.
Spinning backfist for KK only partially lands. Superman punch for her, but left hand in response from JJ.
Kowalkiewicz landing a nice punch to JJ’s already damaged nose and then more strikes for the champion. JJ has significant selling to the right side of her face. She’s landed way more strikes, but KK’s offense has made a big impact on her face over the course of the fight.
JJ pressing KK against the cage now. Across to the other side of the Octagon they go and JJ gets her opponent’s back. She lands a knee. Then a hook upstairs. KK turns and as JJ backs away she lands a head kick upstairs.
Kowalkiewicz looking for one last flurry, but JJ ties her up in the clinch again and the fight is heading to the judges.
Decision:
Great heart and toughness from Kowalkiewicz in this fight and she even had the champ in trouble in the fourth round, but over the 25 minutes as a whole Jedrzejczyk showed terrific technical striking and deservedly defends her title successfully by unanimous decision (49-46 x3).
