Joanna Jedrzejczyk clears up retirement rumors

Former UFC strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk is not retired, contrary to widespread rumors to the contrary.

Earlier this month, in a post to her official Instagram account, Jedrzejczyk, 32, used the hashtag #33andretired. That hashtag caused rampant speculation that she might be hanging up the gloves.

Jedrzejczyk fans can rest easy that that is not the case.

.@JoannaMMA cleared up the rumours surrounding her potential retirement stemming from a hashtag she posted earlier this month, on #TheBash with @petesycarroll & @niallmcgrath4. https://t.co/5TxV8kk2H0 pic.twitter.com/6iiPEyVnaQ

— The Bash MMA (@TheBashMMA) July 27, 2020

“No, I’m not retired, man,” Jedrzejczyk told Peter Carroll and Niall McGrath on The Bash MMA podcast, addressing the rumors of her retirement. “I’m not.”

While Jedrzejczyk isn’t hanging up the gloves yet, she acknowledged that it’s hard not to feel somewhat retired given the current state of the world. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, she is unable to travel to the American Top Team in South Florida, which means she can’t properly prepare for a fight.

“I feel like I’m retired,” Jedrzejczyk said. “I can’t go back to the state because of the COVID situation. Mikey Brown, my main coach, got sick. My teammates sick. So it’s very risky to go back to the states, and I don’t see myself preparing for my next fight in a different place than American Top Team in Coconut Creek.”

Joanna Jedrzejczyk last fought in March, when she lost a razor close decision in a strawweight title fight with the division’s reigning champion, Weili Zhang. The bout is widely considered the best fight of 2020 so far. Despite this setback, she remains one of the division’s very best fighters and is likely only a win or two away from another shot at gold.