In a surprising flip of occasions simply days after Mackenzie Dern etched her identify into UFC historical past by capturing the vacant ladies’s strawweight championship, followers are launching a full-throated marketing campaign for Joanna Jedrzejczyk to emerge from retirement and dethrone the brand new queen.
Dern, the elite Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace, grinded out a hard-fought unanimous choice over fellow grappling savant Virna Jandiroba within the UFC 321 co-main occasion on October 25 in Abu Dhabi, claiming gold after longtime champion Zhang Weili vacated to chase flyweight glory. The victory marked a career-defining second for the 32-year-old, who improved her UFC report to 10-4 and silenced critics questioning her readiness for title glory.
However the celebration has been tempered by widespread fan discontent over the state of the 115-pound division – as soon as the crown jewel of girls’s MMA, now decried as its weakest hyperlink.
Enter Joanna Jedrzejczyk, the Polish putting phenom and undisputed GOAT of strawweight, whose 966-day reign from 2015-2017 included 5 dominant title defenses towards the likes of Jessica Andrade and Claudia Gadelha. Followers are pleading: “Please come again and save the division.”
“LMFAO, Joanna might come off the sofa and completely faculty Dern.” “Joanna would destroy Dern.”
QUESTION: if Joanna Jedrzejczyk got here out of retirement and fought Mackenzie Dern, who would win?????? pic.twitter.com/wNHIVPFvLz
— ACD MMA (@acdmma_) October 27, 2025
The hypothetical matchup?
Pure fireworks. Jedrzejczyk’s blistering handspeed, Muay Thai clinch work, and legendary takedown protection (78% profession) towards Dern’s world-class submissions and enhancing standup.
“You might let Dern have an entire coaching camp, and inform Joanna she’s preventing 90 seconds earlier than the struggle, and Joanna handles her earlier than the championship rounds,” one fervent supporter proclaimed.
Including gas to the fireplace: Jedrzejczyk herself congratulated Dern on Instagram shortly after the win, posting: “AND NEW! BIG BIG CONGRATS @mackenziedern I’m so so completely satisfied for ya Woman! AND NEW • UFC CHAMPION • MACKENZIE DERN • UFC ABU DHABI.”
“Basic ‘kinds make fights’ matchup,” tweeted one analyst. “Joanna owns the putting… If it will get to the bottom, Dern takes limbs residence as trophies.”
After all, Joanna has repeatedly affirmed her 2020 retirement – citing continual again points and a want for peace after her Corridor of Fame profession. She’s flirted with returns (even eyeing a ladies’s BMF belt), however insiders say her physique gained’t permit it.
But with Dern eyeing a superfight towards Weili or a conflict with Tatiana Suarez, the UFC might ill-afford to disregard the roar. A Jedrzejczyk comeback wouldn’t simply “save” strawweight – it’d be the struggle of 2026.
Will “The Lioness” roar as soon as extra? The division – and Dana White’s telephone – awaits her reply.
