In a stunning turn of events just days after Mackenzie Dern etched her name into UFC history by capturing the vacant women’s strawweight championship, fans are launching a full-throated campaign for Joanna Jedrzejczyk to emerge from retirement and dethrone the new queen.
Dern, the elite Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace, grinded out a hard-fought unanimous decision over fellow grappling savant Virna Jandiroba in the UFC 321 co-main event on October 25 in Abu Dhabi, claiming gold after longtime champion Zhang Weili vacated to chase flyweight glory. The victory marked a career-defining moment for the 32-year-old, who improved her UFC record to 10-4 and silenced critics questioning her readiness for title glory.
But the celebration has been tempered by widespread fan discontent over the state of the 115-pound division – once the crown jewel of women’s MMA, now decried as its weakest link.
Enter Joanna Jedrzejczyk, the Polish striking phenom and undisputed GOAT of strawweight, whose 966-day reign from 2015-2017 included five dominant title defenses against the likes of Jessica Andrade and Claudia Gadelha. Fans are pleading: “Please come back and save the division.”
“LMFAO, Joanna could come off the couch and absolutely school Dern.” “Joanna would destroy Dern.”
QUESTION: if Joanna Jedrzejczyk came out of retirement and fought Mackenzie Dern, who would win?????? pic.twitter.com/wNHIVPFvLz
— ACD MMA (@acdmma_) October 27, 2025
The hypothetical matchup?
Pure fireworks. Jedrzejczyk’s blistering handspeed, Muay Thai clinch work, and legendary takedown defense (78% career) against Dern’s world-class submissions and improving standup.
“You could let Dern have a whole training camp, and tell Joanna she’s fighting 90 seconds before the fight, and Joanna handles her before the championship rounds,” one fervent supporter proclaimed.
Adding fuel to the fire: Jedrzejczyk herself congratulated Dern on Instagram shortly after the win, posting: “AND NEW! BIG BIG CONGRATS @mackenziedern I’m so so happy for ya Girl! AND NEW • UFC CHAMPION • MACKENZIE DERN • UFC ABU DHABI.”
“Classic ‘styles make fights’ matchup,” tweeted one analyst. “Joanna owns the striking… If it gets to the ground, Dern takes limbs home as trophies.”
Of course, Joanna has repeatedly affirmed her 2020 retirement – citing chronic back issues and a desire for peace after her Hall of Fame career. She’s flirted with returns (even eyeing a women’s BMF belt), but insiders say her body won’t allow it.
Yet with Dern eyeing a superfight against Weili or a clash with Tatiana Suarez, the UFC could ill-afford to ignore the roar. A Jedrzejczyk comeback wouldn’t just “save” strawweight – it’d be the fight of 2026.
Will “The Lioness” roar once more? The division – and Dana White’s phone – awaits her answer.
