Joanna Jedrzejczyk makes light work of Michelle Waterson
If there were any doubts about Joanna Jedrzejczyk’s present day abilities in the UFC strawweight division, the former champion put those lingering thoughts to rest in a dominant performance over Michelle Waterson at UFC Tampa.
Poland’s Jedrzejczyk comfortably eased to a unanimous decision win over five rounds, showing of her superiority in the striking stakes throughout.
Jedrzejczyk looked in fine form fighting in-close and at a distance. When she wasn’t chewing Waterson’s lead leg up with kicks at range, Jedrzejczyk mauled Waterson in the clinch, throwing brutal knees to the body and crushing elbows in close quarters.
Waterson did well to withstand that punishment and had her own openings in the fight; namely two rear-naked choke attempts. But Jedrzejczyk was in fine form and defended without little bother.
Jedrzejczyk was rightly awarded the unanimous decision after five rounds. It will be interesting to see if she gets her title shot next.
Cub Swanson bests Kron Gracie over three rounds
Cub Swanson got back in the win column and handed Kron Gracie his first MMA loss in the process in Tampa.
Swanson was on a four-fight skid before facing the 2013 ADCC gold medallist, but looked full of confidence in the cage as he clearly won all three rounds to take a unanimous decision from the judges sat cageside.
Gracie was brutalised in this bout. The Brazilian struggled to get Swanson down to the floor and his striking abilities clearly weren’t up to par with his opponent’s, but gallantly marched forward anyway as he was hammered to the body and up top.
Somehow, Gracie was able to withstand that heavy punishment and showed a ridiculous level of heart to continue bringing the fight to Swanson despite clearly being outmatched in the striking stakes.
Gracie finally got Swanson down with less than a minute to go in the bout, but he was unable to steal a victory in the fight’s dying embers.
Big win for Swanson as he looks to start a resurgence in the UFC featherweight division.
Niko Price KOs James Vick with upkick
pic.twitter.com/4AHzSVg39j
— Videos by: FTB (@FTBVids1) October 13, 2019
James Vick’s alarming run of losses continued on Saturday night against welterweight Niko Price.
Price managed to get Vick down to the floor with a trip before landing some punches on top. However, Vick then managed to find himself in the dominant position himself, landing his own ground and pound as the fight seemingly shifted in his favour.
As Vick stood, appearing to want to shift Price’s legs over to land more punches from up top, Price slammed the heel of his foot into Vick’s chin with an upkick.
Texan Vick crumpled to the floor as Price followed up with punches off his back.
That is Vick’s fourth consecutive defeat – three of which have come by knockout.Price, meanwhile, moves to 6-3-1 NC in the in the UFC.
UFC Tampa Joanna Jedrzejczuk vs. Michelle Waterson full results
Women’s Strawweight: Joanna Jedrzejczyk def. Michelle Waterson by unanimous decision after five rounds
Featherweight: Cub Swanson def. Kron Gracie by unanimous decision after three round
Welterweight: Niko Price def. James Vick by KO (upkick) at 1:44 of round one
Women’s Strawweight: Amanda Ribas def. Mackenzie Dern by unanimous decision after three rounds
Lightweight: Matt Frevola def. Luis Peña by split decision after three rounds
Middleweight: Eryk Anders def. Gerald Meerschaert by split decision after three rounds
Light Heavyweight: Ryan Spann def. Devin Clark by submission (guillotine choke) at 2:01 of round two
Lightweight: Mike Davis def. Thomas Gifford by KO (punch) at 4:45 of round three
Welterweight: Alex Morono def. Max Griffin by unanimous decision after three rounds
Flyweight: Deiveson Figueiredo def. Tim Elliott by submission (guillotine choke) at 3:08 of round one
Bantamweight: Marlon Vera def. Andre Ewell by TKO (elbows and punches) at 3:17 of round three
Welterweight: Miguel Baeza def. Hector Aldana by TKO (leg kicks and elbows) at 2:32 of round two
Middleweight: Marvin Vettori def. Andrew Sanchez by unanimous decision after three rounds
Women’s Flyweight: JJ Aldrich def. Lauren Mueller by unanimous decision after three rounds
