Joanna Jedrzejczyk retired from MMA after suffering a knockout loss to Zhang Weili.
The bout was a continuation of their “Fight of the Night” at UFC 248, which left Jedrzejczyk (16-5) with one of the worst hematomas in recent memory. In fact, the damage was so severe it prompted the former Muay Thai champ to contemplate retirement ahead of their UFC 275 rematch.
“I would love to do it once again,” Jedrzejczyk told On Paper with Anthony Smith. “I knew I was going to fight another war with Weili Zhang
for the second time, so I knew if something was going to happen to my face, brain, or hematoma, or knockout, I would retire. I said it loud to my best friend. I was like, ‘Man, if my head is going to be a balloon again, I will retire,’ and I got knocked out, so I had to stay loyal to my decision.”
“Sometimes I regret it,“ the 38 year-old Jedrzejczyk added. ”The money, the exposure, the fans. But nobody and nothing will bring your health and life back. You cannot pay for some things. You cannot just have a surgery on your brain. And so probably it was meant to be. I believe God’s plans.”
That said, there is one particular fight that could lure the former “Ultimate Fighter” coach out of retirement.
“It would be female BMF fight, easy,” Jedrzejczyk said. “If you ask me again, I would love to be back for this one. I’m first in line, actually.”
This longtime rival may have something to say about that.
