MANILA, Philippines - Joanna Jedrzejczyk will defend the women’s strawweight championship for the second time against Valerie Letourneau in the co-headliner of the UFC 193 pay-per-view event on November 15 (November 14 in US).
UFC president Dana White revealed the championship clash during the promotion’s “Go Big” press conference on Saturday, September 5 (PH Time) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Jedrzejczyk (10-0) claimed the UFC golden-plated strap in a dominant performance versus Carla Esparza this past March and then successfully defended her belt by thwarting Jessica Penne in three rounds last June.
The 28-year-old Polish was previously rumored to be crossing paths with Claudia Gadelha at UFC 195 on January 3, but the Brazilian fighter is sidelined with a hand injury.
“So Claudia’s hurt. She has a problem with her hand. This is what she said: ‘I’m not hurt. I can fight. I’m just waiting for my hand to heal up.’ That’s why she’s not fighting,” White said.
On the other hand, Letourneau (8-3) has been victorious in her first three Octagon assignments, besting Elizabeth Phillips, Jessica Rakoczy and Maryna Moroz.
Her 3 career losses have come against stiff competition, including Gadelha, Alexis Davis and Sarah Kaufman.
With the inclusion of the Jedrzejczyk-Letourneau title tilt, the three-round heavyweight scrap between Mark Hunt and Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva is relegated to the undercard of UFC 193.
UFC 193, which takes place at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, Australia, is headlined by a women’s bantamweight title showdown between Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm. – Rappler.com