TUF 23 FINALE BREAKDOWN: JOANNA JEDRZEJCZYK VS CLAUDIA GADELHA 2

July 6, 2016

There are two great match ups that every MMA fan should be watching this Friday.

JOANNA JEDRZEJCZYK VS CLAUDIA GADELHA 2 This grudge match has been bubbling ever since their first match up in 2014. Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Claudia Gadelha’s time together on this past season of the Ultimate Fighter has done little to ease tensions between the two UFC Strawweight competitors and has in fact raised the stakes of this match up. Not only is this fight about the UFC title, but it’s also about respect. Everyone knows what Joanna Jedrzejczyk is going to want to do in this fight. She’s going to try and keep things on the feet and try her best to bludgeon her opponents on the feet. Though she’s a muay thai specialist, Joanna has mostly relied on her boxing and anti-wrestling to get the job done in all of her fights. She has stellar takedown defense and with every shot she stuffs, mostly utilizing the double underhooks to stop her opponents in their tracks, she’s able to rattle off some crisp and fast combinations from a multitude of different angles. The intriguing thing about this match however is just how much Gadelha gave the champion in their first outing. Gadelha floored Jedrzejczyk quite a number of times in their first meeting. That is certainly something to watch for in this bout. Claudia Gadelha is an all around fighter, perhaps the most complete fighter at Strawweight. That being said she doesn’t want to mess with Jedrzejczyk in the stand up realm. Instead Gadelha needs to use her striking to put pressure on Jedrzejczyk and get into the clinch as soon as possible. From the clinch she can land knees and elbows as well as transition to takedowns when needed. Gadelha proved to be superior in the clinch and knows how and when to use her explosiveness. In going five rounds she’ll want to conserve some of her energy in the early rounds in hopes of rallying in the championship rounds. Gadelha may be the more complete fighter but Jedrzejczyk has raked in some much needed experience that has given her the edge in this bout. Expect a back and forth affair where Joanna Jedrzejczyk emerges victorious by decision. ROSS PEARSON VS WILL BROOKS Ross Pearson meets Will Brooks in an exciting Lightweight co-main event which will decide the futures of both men in the division. At this point it seems apparent that Ross Pearson has become somewhat of a gatekeeper in the Lightweight division despite the fact that “The Real Deal” is and always shall be a talented fighter. That being said, the wars he’s had in the past will eventually catch up to him and will likely be his undoing in this match up. Pearson is a striker with fast, busy hands and knows a thing or two about defending against the takedown. If he wants to beat Brooks then he’ll have to put the pressure on him early and often, being sure to never let the former Bellator Lightweight champion get comfortable at any point of the fight. For Will Brooks this opportunity in the UFC has been a long time coming. He has already proven himself to be a true talent in Bellator and now has the chance to face off with the world’s best in the UFC. Pearson is his first test, one that should be a good barometer on where he lies in the UFC Lightweight division. Brooks has the edge in athleticism and, arguably, the edge in striking as well. In a pure muay thai match it would be interesting to see how the two matched up, but as far as MMA goes, Brooks has a better understanding of distancing, a huge gas tank, and an interesting mix of boxing, karate, and muay thai that is sure to confound Pearson on the feet. Look for Will Brooks to start his UFC career off right with a tactical and entertaining unanimous decision victory that will see him mixing his great wrestling and awesome striking together in a pretty package. Who do you think will win at the TUF Finale? Follow Generation Iron MMA on Facebook and Twitter. Also, be sure to share, like, and comment to show your support.