FRANK HYDEN, MMATorch Contributor
I think Jędrzejczyk shows that big heart of a champion and comes back to beat Namajunas in the rematch. I think she wins by TKO in the fourth round after surviving an early flurry by Namajunas. Jędrzejczyk has said that this fight will be different and I believe her. Namajunas is obviously extremely tough, but I think Jędrzejczyk makes the necessary adjustments and gets the win in the best fights of the evening.
SEAN COVINGTON, MMATorch Contributor
If Joanna Jędrzejczyk doesn’t have her head in the clouds like she did in her last fight this should be a very easy win for her. The games need to stop because Rose Namajunas isn’t falling for them. JJ severely underestimated her opponent, much like Luke Rockhold did against Michael Bisping but I have a hard time believing she’d do it again. JJ is a much better fighter and just needs to be that. I give “thug” Rose little chance of beating JJ, but there a decent chance Joanna Jędrzejczyk beats herself again. JJ should TKO Rose by the third.
RAFFAEL IGLESIAS, MMATorch Contributor
This is a rematch I’m sure Joanna Jędrzejczyk has anxiously lost sleep over. Not many people picked against the former champ Jędrzejczyk in her first bout against current champion Rose Namajunas.
Jędrzejczyk was a force in her division. The hype and talk going into the first fight was off the charts, but few saw Namajunas pulling out the victory. Here we are again after Namajunas blasted and frankly humiliated the former champ. I ran around my living room in both shock and celebration when Namajunas took Jędrzejczyk’s belt and pride. It was like the best episode of “Bully Beatdown” ever!
I see this fight being more competitive. Jędrzejczyk knows she can’t get in Namajunas’ head, so this fight should be a contest of wills. Namajunas may have to withstand Jędrzejczyk’s early onslaught and then I think the current champ Namajunas will start picking her apart again. I see my MMA crush Rose Namajunas getting the stoppage in the third.
MICHAEL HISCOE, MMATorch contributor
This is a tough one to pick. If you are to believe Joanna Jędrzejczyk, it was a botched weight cut that ultimately cost her the fight against Rose Namajunas last November. She has made changes to that part of her preparation so weight issues shouldn’t play in to this fight. What appeared to be a mentally shook Namajunas in the lead up to their first fight was actually just a hyper focused Rose and she appears to be carrying that focus and determination into the rematch. Joanna won’t be caught off guard this time around but I still think Namajunas has solved the Joanna puzzle and takes a closely contested decision victory.
Cole Henry, MMATorch contributor
This one is hard to call. Obviously, Namajunas won the first fight in pretty decisive fashion, but sometimes you don’t learn a whole lot from fights like that. Could she do the exact same thing in the rematch?
Joanna Jedrzeczyk is certainly the more decorated and experienced striker, so it seems like it’s possible that she could make the proper adjustments and we could see Joanna Champion regain her long-lost crown. JJ complained that her poor performance in their last fight was due to a tough weight cut. Nobody likes hearing excuse like that, but sometimes facts are facts and if she did have a tough cut we might see a different animal this go around. That’s what my gut tells me we will see. I think JJ will make the proper adjustments and I think she picks up a unanimous decision win.
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