Joanna Jedrzejczyk theorizes why Carla Esparza was getting booed by fans at UFC 281 press conference

Joanna Jedrzejczyk has tried to explain why Carla Esparza did not get the reception she would have liked at the recent UFC 281 pre-fight press conference. The current women's strawweight champion was treated to jeers from the audience as she attempted to answer questions from journalists.

Jedrzejczyk recently came to Esparza's defense. Speaking about the incident at UFC 281 media day in New York City, the former women's strawweight queen said:

"She's the champion. She deserves the respect, you know? And all the attention. But it's not just about being the best athlete, it's also about your character. If people see charisma in you or not, you know."

'JJ' further added:

"If I were to become the strawweight champion for the second time, I would go bigger. I would double the amount of my followers, money, contracts and everything. It looks like for Carla Esparza, it's enough and that's okay. We have to respect that. She's the champ. "

Watch Joanna Jedrzejczyk's reaction to Carla Esparza getting booed (-3:18-3:59-) below:

Esparza came under a lot of criticism after her performance at UFC 274 against Rose Namajunas, with many calling the five-round fight boring and dismal to watch. While 'The Cookie Monster' won the title from Namajunas via decision, it seems like fans have not gotten over her lack of action last time around.

The 35-year-old is currently preparing to face Weili Zhang at the upcoming UFC 281 event at Madison Square Garden in the Big Apple, where she will be hoping to defend her title as well as redeem herself before her fans.

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Joanna Jedrzejczyk predicts Weili Zhang will emerge victorious against Carla Esparza at UFC 281

Joanna Jedrzejczyk predicts a first-round win for Weili Zhang against Carla Esparza when they face each other in the co-main event of UFC 281 on November 12.

Speaking at UFC 281 media day, 'JJ' said:

"I don't like predicting fights but definitely Weili Zhang in the first round. She's so strong, physically and mentally. I feel like she's going to be the strawweight champion again soon this Saturday."

Catch Joanna Jedrzejczyk's prediction (-2:51-3:06-) below:

The former champion has faced both the current strawweight fighters in the past. Jedrzejczyk won the strawweight title against Esparza back in 2015. She faced two consecutive losses against Zhang in 2020 and 2022 respectively and announced her retirement following the rematch.

However, Jedrzejczyk recently claimed that she is considering making a comeback to the octagon. She claimed that she sometimes wishes for "one last dance" for the fans and that she wasn't prepared to say goodbye yet.