Joanna Jedrzeczyk showed once again why she’s the dominant queen of strawweight with a technically perfect display of striking tonight at UFC 211 against the exceptionally tough Jessica Andrade.
Round One:
The co-main event women’s bantamweight title fight is underway in Dallas!
Jedrzeczyk targets the body with a punch early then a leg kick. Leg kick for andrade and then one in response from JJ.
another quick leg kick for the champion. Right hand lands for JJ. Now another leg kick. Andrade wades in with huge punches and lands a few hard ones.
The champion backs off but seems ok. Again Andrade unleashes a barrage of blows and JJ responds by trying to clinch up and lands a knee to the body.
Now Andrade with a takedown attempt. Te champion defends at first, but then Andrade sends her into the air and slams her down to the mat.
The Champion tries to scramble, but Andrade remains on top. However, Jedrzeczyk is soon back up and lands a good elbow before breaking away from the clinch.
Jedrzeczyk has swelling to her forehead early in the fight. JJ with a few punches and then a head kick. Now a body punch. leg kick. Snapping jab.
Andrade tries to attack, but this time JJ moves out of danger. Again she does likewise as the challenger wades in. Leg kick for Andrade. Wild punches from Andrade miss and JJ is able to land on the counter.
Andrade stalking the champion. She unloads, but JJ clinches to stop the attack. Huge takedown from Andrade, but Jedrzeczyk is straight back up. JJ with a nice elbow. Now the champion lands a light head kick.
Andrade with a little blood around her nose at the end of the round, but JJ with a big mouse on her forehead.
Round Two:
Leg kick for JJ. Andrade misses with a kick of her own and JJ lands another afterwards. Left hand lands for Andrade. Two leg kicks for the champion. Andrade wades in with punches, but Jedrzeczyk slides out of the way.
Jedrzeczyk just out of range as Andrade tries to land punches. The longer the fight goes the more JJ is starting to figure out Andrade’s flurries.
More kicks for the champion and she’s also landing a nice flicking jab. Another leg kick and then backs up away from incoming offense.
A hook from Andrade grazes JJ’s head. More leg kicks for the champion. Leg kick for Andrade this time, but JJ immediately responds with one of her own.
Jedrzeczyk with a very nice one-two. Another right hand lands. Andrade wades in with big blows and JJ is only just avoiding some of this heavy leather.
Andrade gets into the clinch and lands a takedown, but can’t keep JJ down. Nice head kick attempt from Jedrzeczyk.
Beautiful jab work from JJ and then a head kick lands flush. However, just when she thinks she’s got her in trouble, Andrade suddenly lands a good punch of her own and bundles JJ to the mat.
Jedrzeczyk is ok though and when the round ends soon after she punches the air in triumph, clearly happy with how the majority of that round went.
Round Three:
JJ back to landing those quick leg kicks. Andrade tries to catch one of those kicks, but doesn’t quite work out. Very nice head kick from JJ. Now a solid punch.
Now JJ snaps that jab again, back to the leg kick. JJ moves back out of reach from Andrade’s incoming punches then stuffs a takedown attempt.
Andrade still in the clinch, but there’s nothing doing and she breaks away. Another flurry from Andrade is avoided. JJ is just outclassing the challenger here, but if Andrade can find a home for some of those winging strikes then anything could still happen.
leg kicks and body punches from the champion. She looks very confident here as she really starts to pick her shots upstairs and downstairs.
Andrade clips the champion at close range, but she’s ok and soon is back to her technical striking, landing a crisp combination of punches.
Head kick attempt from JJ misses as Andrade wades in with a wild punch that doesn’t land either.
Jab to the body for JJ. Leg kick. Andrade like a bull as she charges with her punches flying. JJ meets Andrade’s wild offense with technical punches and then a knee from the clinch.
Round Four:
Into the championship rounds then with JJ in the driving seat at this stage, but still having to remain cautious of getting caught by a big punch.
Extremely quick Leg kicks from JJ still in this round and one upstairs too. The jab is there too and as accurate as ever.
Andrade’s mid-calf is a deep shade of red from all these kicks. Beautiful left and right punches from JJ, pinpoint accuracy. Head kick now.
Another one-two and Andrade was a little off-balanced by that. Andrade with a punch and gets into the clinch against the cage with half the round remaining.
Very nice elbow inside there and she’s landing the occasional knee too as Andrade tries to find a way to work for the takedown from this clinch position.
Good takedown defense from Jedrzeczyk here as Andrade eventually does hoist her into the air, but can’t get her fully down on the mat and let’s go.
JJ back to striking range and pumping the jab, then landing leg kicks. Straight right from Jedrzeczyk. More absolutely clinical punches and a head kick too. Andrade is super tough though and just keeps marching forward regardless.
Round Five:
Final round and the champion has to be way up on the scorecards here. Can Andrade find that big shot she needs to find the finish.
Crisp hands from Jedrzeczyk to start, putting together swift one-two’s. She continues to snap the Brazilian’s head back with the jab. Credit to Andrade for never having gassed out during this five-rounder, but unfortunately for her Jedrzeczyk is still as fresh as a daisy too.
Winging hook from Andrade lands awkwardly. Nice punch from Jedrzeczyk, but Andrade marches forward anyway. She just can’t find a home for those brawling-style strikes though.
Front kick to the body for JJ. Nice series of uppercuts and another punch behind it from close range by the challenger.
Body kick for JJ. less than two minutes to go now. Beautiful right hand from JJ as Andrade comes forward. Now an elbow from teh champion.
Brief clinch and JJ punches her way out of it. JJ backs away, walking Andrade into another right hand.
Andrade marching forward with purpose, but just can’t track down the champion long enough to unload her offense effectively.
JJ opts for the clinch to stifle Andrade momentarily then lands a nice punch before going back to the clinch to ride out the final seconds.
Decision:
A dominant display of superior striking from Jedrzeczyk here, though all credit to Andrade for hanging tough and continuing to press forward from the first minute to the last.
Nonetheless, it’s a shutout for Jedrzeczyk on the scorecards (50-45 x2, 50-44) and rightly so. That was a masterful performance.
