This weekend, two of the best strawweight fighters in the world will finally compete for the world championship. MMA fans everywhere are now trying to decide how the fight between Weili Zhang and Rose Namajunas will play out. Interestingly, former champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk offered her own prediction on Zhang vs. Namajunas to the media this week.
Many have been curious to hear what Joanna has to say about this upcoming bout. She has competed with both of them and has first-hand knowledge of their skills. Today, we’ll talk about how Joanna believes this fight will go down.
Let’s get into it!
UFC 261 Will Be the First Sold-Out UFC Event Since 2020
2021 has been a hugely successful year for the UFC already. The promotion kicked off its first Pay-Per-View event with a massive rematch between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier. Since then, there have been a huge number of high-profile events.
Some believe that UFC 261 taking place this Saturday is the biggest so far this year. The event is set to feature three different title bouts. That includes the rematch between Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal in the main event.
Perhaps the most noteworthy aspect of this event is the fact that it will take place in front of a sold-out audience in Jacksonville, Florida. This is the first time this has happened since March of 2020. It’s a huge move for the promotion and could lead other leagues to take similar steps.
This seems to be starting a trend. Not long ago, UFC President Dana White announced that the trilogy fight between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier will be taking place in front of a full crowd in Las Vegas, Nevada. It’s exciting news for fans around the country.
One of the most exciting bouts taking place this Saturday is between Rose Namajunas and Weili Zhang. Fans are curious to see if Rose can dethrone the dominant new champion. Many feel this is a lock for the “fight of the night.”
There has been a major debate raging over how this fight will play out. This week, the strawweight division’s former champion gave her take on the bout.
Breaking Down Joanna Jedrzejczyk’s Prediction on Zhang vs. Namajunas
Weili Zhang has quickly become a must-see fighter in the UFC. She burst into the promotion with three impressive wins before earning a shot at the title against Jessica Andrade. It took Zhang less than one minute to earn a TKO and her first major world title.
Back in March of last year, Weili took part in one of the best MMA fights in history against Joanna Jedrzejczyk. They both threw everything they had from the first bell to the last one. In the end, Zhang was declared the winner via unanimous decision.
Many are curious to see how Weili will handle the striking and submission game of Rose Namajunas. Rose is a former champion herself and recently returned to the cage with a thrilling win over Jessica Andrade.
Joanna Jedrzejczyk is one fighter keeping a close eye on how this fight plays out. It seems likely that she will earn a shot at the winner. This week, the former champion gave her own prediction on Zhang vs. Namajunas and believes it’s a much closer fight than some might think.
“I called Mick [Maynard] a few days ago and I just told him ‘you know what the baddest b*tch on the planet is back’ so book the fight, watch this fight and tell everybody that I’m next,” Jedrzejczyk said. “I really believe that Rose Namajunas can outscore Weili Zhang but she has to be careful because Weili is powerful… I didn’t feel that much power of the punches but I know that Rose can outscore Weili Zhang but Weili is a powerful girl. She’s a very powerful girl. For me, it’s 50/50.”
This seems to be what many other fans feel, too. Rose seems like the more technical striker. Weili Zhang is a powerhouse, though, and has the skills to get Rose out of the cage early. Now is the perfect time to check out the odds on this matchup.
Odds on Zhang vs. Namajunas Are Still Available Online
There are many exciting fights taking place this weekend. Of course, many fans are looking forward to seeing how Usman and Masvidal come into the main event rematch. The matchup between Valentina Shevchenko and Jessica Andrade is also intriguing in many ways.
More and more fans believe that Zhang vs. Namajunas is the biggest fight taking place at UFC 261. From a stylistic point of view, this is about as good as it gets. BetOnline, one of the most popular internet sportsbooks in the US, is still offering some great odds on this bout.
At the moment, the champion comes in as the -210 favorite. Zhang is a powerhouse in the cage and is now 21-1 as a professional. Many believe she will look to take Rose to the ground in this bout where she can be the most successful.
Rose Namajunas is about as sleek as a striker can get in the UFC. Her knockout over Joanna Jedrzejczyk back in 2017 is one of the best in women’s MMA history. Still, she’s coming into this title fight as the +180 underdog.
There is some serious heat leading into this bout. Both these fighters are known for their willingness to come into fights with everything they have. The winner is likely to get a rematch with Jedrzejczyk later this year. Stay tuned for updates!
What’s your prediction on Zhang vs. Namajunas? Let us know in the comments section below!
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