Former UFC strawweight title challenger Karolina Kowalkiewicz made an emotional announcement on social media after another tough loss at UFC Vegas 100.
39-year-old Karolina Kowalkiewicz suffered her second-straight loss to Denise Gomes at UFC Vegas 100 on Saturday. She was unable to shake off a slow start to the fight, and while she rallied late, it wasn’t enough to get the nod on the judges’ scorecards.
During her physical prime, Kowalkiewicz was one of the most dangerous contenders in the UFC strawweight division. She gave then-UFC strawweight champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk one of the toughest tests of her title reign at UFC 205.
While Kowalkiewicz is years removed from her physical prime, a win at UFC Vegas 100 could’ve gone a long way in defining her next career move. Many believe Kowalkiewicz should walk away after her recent struggles, which she addressed on social media after the event.
Karolina Kowalkiewicz addresses fans after UFC Vegas 100 defeat
In a recent Instagram story post, Kowalkiewicz clarified her fighting future after UFC Vegas 100.
“Hey guys, I’m so sorry. But thank you for your support, for your love. I’m okay, as you can see, I’m okay, just my heart is broken,” Kowalkiewicz said. “I had a really great fight camp, perfect weight-cutting, I felt really, really good. Really good shape, but my opponent, she’s better than me, what can I say?
“Give me some time and see you soon. I’m not going to retire, don’t worry.”
Before back-to-back losses to Iasmin Lucindo and Gomes, Kowalkiewicz won four consecutive fights, including impressive wins over Vanessa Demopoulos and Felice Herrig.
Karolina Kowalkiewicz delays retirement, focused on UFC return
Kowalkiewicz has been a factor in the UFC strawweight division’s title picture for almost a full decade. She made her UFC debut in Dec. 2015, defeating Randa Markos by unanimous decision.
Kowalkiewicz began her professional MMA career with 10 consecutive wins, including victories over Rose Namajunas and Heather Jo Clark. She challenged for the UFC strawweight title at UFC 205, falling to fellow countrywoman Jedrzejczyk by unanimous decision.
After losing in her lone UFC title challenge, Kowalkiewicz suffered another setback to former title challenger Cláudia Gadelha at UFC 212. But, she then got back in the win column with consecutive wins over Herrig and Jodie Esquibel.
Kowalkiewicz faced some of the division’s surging contenders, suffering five consecutive defeats. The skid included losses to former UFC titleholders Alexa Grasso and Jéssica Andrade.
Kowalkiewicz’s dangerous standup makes her a difficult puzzle to solve for some of the top strawweight contenders. Despite her up-and-down recent UFC performances, Kowalkiewicz sounds driven to make a statement in her next Octagon booking.
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