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Joanna Jedrzejczyk says women's MMA quality has declined with fewer finishes and less exciting fights

By Egleze Editorial Desk · Published July 11, 2026 · The Ariel Helwani Show · Joanna Jędrzejczyk on Current State of Women's MMA, Praises Valentina Shevchenko, Reflects on Career
Joanna Jedrzejczyk says women's MMA quality has declined with fewer finishes and less exciting fights
The Ariel Helwani Show
The Ariel Helwani Show
Joanna Jędrzejczyk on Current State of Women's MMA, Praises Valentina Shevchenko, Reflects on Career

What was said

"If you look at the stats about women's MMA, especially in the UFC, there are less fights. The fights maybe are not exciting as used to be. I feel like they're focused too much on what's outside instead of being focused on what's inside the gym, the octagon, you know."

The two-time UFC Hall of Famer criticized the current state of women's MMA, claiming fighters now prioritize appearance and social media over training intensity. She agreed with the assessment that women's fights are no longer regularly the best on UFC cards, suggesting modern fighters lack the commitment that defined her era with Rose Namajunas, Valentina Shevchenko, and Amanda Nunes.

Verification status

Attributed speaker claim

Egleze verified who said this and where. The underlying claim has not been independently established by Egleze.

Source and context

Egleze verified who said this and where. The underlying claim has not been independently established by Egleze.

Programme
The Ariel Helwani Show
Episode
Joanna Jędrzejczyk on Current State of Women's MMA, Praises Valentina Shevchenko, Reflects on Career
Clip time
17:16
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The Ariel Helwani Show
The Ariel Helwani Show

Joanna Jędrzejczyk on Current State of Women's MMA, Praises Valentina Shevchenko, Reflects on Career

July 10, 2026 · 48m · 4 Egleze moments
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