Earlier Friday, Joanna Jedrzejczyk placed the blame for her UFC 217 title loss to Rose Namajunas solely on a bad weight cut. Now, in new footage just released, we get to see just how bad Joanna’s weight cuts are. Oddly, it is claimed that the UFC asked this footage be removed and never posted again.
However, in light of Joanna’s new statements, this footage has been put out to the world, as evidence of just how bad things can get for the former UFC champion.
In an interview with the Polish media, Joanna stated, “I still believe that I could win this fight. I was prepared for this fight, I spent a long 13 weeks training hard every day, I worked a lot on the ground because I knew that Rose was dangerous on the ground. I always train very hard, but with caution I listen to my body, and after moving to America I have a really great team that makes every effort to make me ready.
“I do not have anything to reproach myself or my trainers, but I analyzed this whole process, because everyone who saw me on media training and in materials saw that I was perfectly prepared. What my coach said – I should have stood this battle two days earlier. Meanwhile, I had to face a very heavy weight loss and I know that it influenced the end result.
“The people I worked with led me to a very critical state.” said Joanna Jedrzejczyk. “Maybe it was about the physical state, because I stood up mentally for this fight. During the night from Thursday to Friday I had to face 14 hours of heavy weight loss. it was not an easy process, but one thing I did – I have to do the weight and I repeatedly told my doctor that in the morning I have to stand in the limit of 115 pounds and regardless of whether I have to dig a gorge now, or sit in a bathtub at a temperature unknown , I have to do this weight.
“I was much lighter a week before the fight, and then the weight suddenly jumped, which my dietitian and doctor were unable to reduce.
“During the night from Thursday to Friday I had to lose 7.5 kg. It’s a lot. I am happy now that I am functioning and living at all, because I hear many times about fighters who have become unfavorable in health or died. I value my life too much to repeat such a thing.
“It was a miracle. All the time, during these 14 hours, I prayed for it to work out, and finally, 5 minutes before 11am New York time I stood at the limit of 115 pounds.
“Theoretically, it was impossible to do. When I entered the bathtub 10 times, I thought it would be a shame that the champion at 6 defense would not fit in the limit. That’s why I wanted to do it primarily for my team and fans.
“On the second day, when I tried to put on a sock, I felt a terrible tingle in my legs and I understood that something was wrong with my body. I was already thinking in the fight, and my body began to refuse to obey me. My nervous system has not recovered, which has also affected my head and brain. I honestly say that the blows of Rose Namajunas were not strong. I faced stronger opponents, but I can not defend myself here. In sport, it’s about competition, and I was not a competitor to Rose tonight.”
Joanna Jedrzejczyk later revealed she will no longer be working with Perfecting Athletes, or the medical team that assisted her in her weight down.
