This weekend’s scheduled UFC Tampa headliner between Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Michelle Waterson is in jeopardy following difficulties that the Polish former UFC champion is having with her weight cut, per numerous reports online.
It is understood that Jedrzejczyk notified the UFC last week that she would be unable to make the 116-pound weight limit for the proposed strawweight bout. The UFC have attempted to make the bout into a catchweight contest but so far Waterson’s camp have been unwilling to heed to the demands.
Waterson is also understood to have turned down two potential other opponents in Mackenzie Dern and Amanda Ribas, who are also slated to compete on the card, as per an initial report by Combate. Jedrzejczyk, assuming she does indeed miss weight, will forfeit 30 percent of her purse to Waterson as per the Florida Athletic Commission guidelines.
With just days remaining until the event in Florida, the UFC are now scrambling to fill the spot atop the card and several fighters have put their hand up to replace Jedrzejczyk, including Paige VanZant and Angela Hill.
Hey @Ufc if Michelle doesn’t have a fight I’ll make 115 and fight her December 14th!!!!
— Paige VanZant (@paigevanzant) October 9, 2019
Raphael Marinho of Combate also states that the UFC have offered Waterson two possibilities: fight Jedrzejczyk at a catchweight this weekend, or delay her plans until November UFC 244 card in Madison Square Garden and instead face Jessica Andrade.
Jedrzejczyk last fought in December when she lost a unanimous decision to Valentina Shevchenko in a flyweight (125-pounds) world title bout.
