After KO of Karolina Kowalkiewicz, Jessica Andrade calls for December title fight with Rose Namajunas

On Saturday night, in the last-minute co-main event of UFC 228, Brazil’s Jessica Andrade stepped into the cage with Poland’s Karolina Kowalkiewicz in a bout that was widely expected to produce the next challenger for UFC strawweight champion Rose Namajunas. Andrade did not let the opportunity go to waste, knocking her accomplished foe out in the bout’s very first round.

Having earned this impressive win, Jessica Andrade now feels there’s no denying her a title fight with Rose Namajunas.

”I came here believing I would knock her out, but I didn’t imagine I would knock her out so fast, in the first round,” Andrade told reporters at the post-fight press conference (via MMA Fighting). “I was very confident in my strength, confident in everything I could do in there. I knew all the techniques Karolina does, and it worked, I was able to knock her out and get this impressive victory. I’m sure there’s no doubt that I’m next in line for the belt.

”I was waiting for the right time, to find the perfect punch to get this knockout,” she added. “I felt that I got her dizzy in the beginning of the fight, she was a bit wobbly, and I found the right moment to connect good strikes and show I’ve evolved in the Muay Thai area. I was really well. I came out uninjured, so I think I was able to show everyone my evolution.”

Jessica Andrade also broke down a potential matchup with Rose Namajunas.

”Rose is a very versatile athlete, she works her striking well,” Andrade said. “She has evolved a lot since her fight with Karolina, but I believe I have a great chance of defeating the champion on the feet and on the ground. I’ve evolved a lot, and this knockout tonight got me one step closer to fighting for the belt and showing people that I can be a great striker, a great grappler, and that I will give a tough time to every girl in this division.”

How do you think Jessica Andrade will perform against Rose Namajunas?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 9/9/2018.