UFC 211 is finally upon us with arguably the promotion’s best effort so far in 2017. From bottom to top, the card features some of the best fighters on the roster, and it only gets better with each fight.
The co-main event of the evening features a women’s strawweight title fight between champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk (13-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) and challenger Jessica Andrade (16-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC). Jedrzejczyk has been dominating the women’s 115-pound division since winning the title in March of 2015, while Andrade has put on stunning performances since joining the division in June of last year.
UFC 211 takes place tonight, May 13, live from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The prelims begin at 6:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. PT and stream on UFC Fight Pass. The fights then turn to the television broadcast with the prelims continuing at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on FX. Finally, the pay-per-view portion of the card begins at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
How do these two stack up?
Jedrzejczyk: 29 years old | 5 foot 6 inches | 65.5-inch reach
Andrade: 25 years old | 5 foot 2 inches | 62-inch reach
What have these two done recently?
Jedrzejczyk: W — Karolina Kowalkiewicz (UD) | W — Claudia Gadelha (UD) | W — Valerie Letourneau (UD)
Andrade: W — Angela Hill (UD) | W — Joanne Calderwood (Sub) | W — Jessica Penne (TKO)
How did these two get here?
Since beating Carla Esparza for the division title at UFC 185, Jedrzejczyk has been one of the most exciting UFC champions to watch. Her undefeated record has been largely unthreatened during her run in the UFC, as she has beaten the snot out of every one of her opponents, winning almost every round in that time. Although Karolina Kowalkiewicz showed a lot of heart and toughness in her last fight, Jedrzejczyk still came away being the better fighter and solidified herself as must-watch television for MMA fans.
Speaking of must-watch, Andrade is quickly shooting into that category, if she isn’t there already. She came down to 115 pounds after spending much of her career way above her weight at 135 pounds. After the drop in weight class, Andrade has been on a roll, winning three straight in performances that showed she is one of the hardest-hitting fighters in the division. Against Jedrzejczyk, Andrade will look to test the champion’s chin and gain the championship belt through sheer power.
Why should you care?
If you really have to ask yourself this question, check your pulse. Jedrzejczyk is a killer in the Octagon and her striking technique is some of the best in all of MMA. Andrade, meanwhile, will seek to utilize her power in hunting for gold and putting an emphatic stop the J-train. Strikes will be thrown a plenty in the UFC 211 co-main event.
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