"Putting our health and lives on line" - Joanna Jedrzejczyk says UFC should pay more if Zhang Weili fight is changed to five-rounder

Joanna Jedrzejczyk will make her UFC return at UFC 275 in a rematch against Zhang Weili. The scrap between the two former UFC women’s strawweight champions is scheduled to be a three-round bout. However, Jedrzejczyk is open to changing it to a five-rounder, but only if the UFC agrees to pay her more.

In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Jedrzejczyk stated that she’s not sure if her Chinese counterpart is willing to take her on in a 25-minute bout.

“Of course. It’s 66 percent more time spent in the octagon. If I do, of course, five rounds. Five, instead of three, so yeah - definitely. We have to… We will to negotiate, because… I can fight, I want to fight five rounds. Let’s see, let’s check UFC position and Zhang Weili’s position because a month ago she turned down the fight. She didn’t want me to fight and now we’re fighting… Let’s see. I don’t know if she wants to go five rounds with me. I don’t know this, but I’m ready to do this.”

Arguing why there should be extra compensation for the two extra rounds if the fight is made a five-rounder, she further added:

“Then you have to change your sparring, your training a little bit. You have to put more effort in it. And like I said we will spend more time in the octagon and putting our health and lives on line. So definitely we have to get paid a little bit more.”

Watch Joanna Jedrzejczyk's interview with MMA Fighting below:

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John McCarthy claims that Joanna Jedrzejczyk hasn't fought enough ahead of Zhang Weili rematch

John McCarthy has suggested that Joanna Jedrzejczyk's lack of activity could prove to be detrimental against No.1-ranked Zhang Weili. The last time the Polish fighter featured in the octagon was against Weili back in 2020 and she hasn't competed since.

While speaking to his co-host Josh Thomson on their Weighing In podcast, McCarthy said:

"It's a great rematch. But, Joanna hasn't been fighting enough."

Watch John McCarthy talk about Joanna Jedrzejczyk below (Timestamp - 58:03):

Jedrzejczyk and Weili previously locked horns at UFC 248 in 2020. The duo put on a scintillating bout, which ended up winning the promotion's 'Fight of the Year' award. Whether the rematch is a 15-minute or a 25-minute bout, we could potentially have another 'Fight of the Year' contender for 2022 on our hands.