Karolina Kowalkiewicz: Joanna Jedrzejczyk’s weight cut issue is ‘one big fraud’

Former UFC strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk has pinned the blame on a horrible weight cutting experience for her first round knock out loss to Rose Namajunas at UFC 217 last November. After revealing to have cut 15 pounds in 14 hours, Jedrzejczyk says she paid the price for it, just like how Ronda Rousey supposedly did in 2015 while preparing for the Holly Holm title fight at UFC 193.

Fellow strawweight and Polish star Karolina Kowalkiewicz, however, refuses to buy into Jedrzejczyk’s reason.

“For me, it’s nonsense and justification of herself,” Kowalkiewicz told Polish outlet MMAnews Live (translation via MMAjunkie). “I don’t know, maybe it makes her feel better about it, and she’s able to lift it somehow psychologically. In fact, every fighter cuts the weight, and it’s not pleasant for anyone.”

“Sometimes it’s lighter, sometimes heavier, but overall it’s not a nice process. And she puts the guilt on her dietary team. Doesn’t Joanna use her own brain?”

Kowalkiewicz did not mince words when it came to criticizing her former rival, as she offered strong opinions on the matter.

“If Joanna felt that something was wrong and had too much weight to cut, then I don’t understand something. In my opinion, this is just one big fraud.”

The two women are scheduled to be part of UFC 223 on April 7^th in Brooklyn. Kowalkiewicz will be facing Felice Herrig, while Jedrzejczyk will once again be taking on Namajunas for the night’s co-main event feature.