Mauricio "Shogun" Rua Set For Rematch, UFC 213 Embedded Episode, Joanna Jedrzejczyk Wants NYC Next
- In the latest episode of UFC 213 Embedded, middleweight title contender Yoel Romero receives instruction from a higher power while preparing for his Saturday night fight with Robert Whittaker. Romero and Whittaker meet from Las Vegas for the interim middleweight title.
Also, Whittaker adjusts to living in Las Vegas for the week, thousands of miles from his family in Australia. The series, which provides all-access to the fighters on the card, also features a look at Amanda Nunes and Valentina Shevchenko, who collide for Nunes' bantamweight belt.
- Reigning UFC strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk has her sights set on November and the UFC's return to Madison Square Garden for her next fight. Jedrzejczyk, unbeaten in 14 pro fights, was a key speaker during the "Women of the UFC" panel held as part of International Fight Week in Las Vegas.
"I would like to fight in New York in Madison Square Garden in November," Jedrzejczyk said (thanks to MMAjunkie for the quotes). "I want to be back in the historical place."
Jedrzejczyk, who is a perfect 8-0 inside the Octagon, defeated Jessica Andrade this past May for her fifth title defense. One more successful defense would tie her with Ronda Rousey for the current female UFC record.
While she remains focused on that November date, Jedrzejczyk did get in a break from training and everything else to return home recently.
"I don't have time for my sponsorship and media obligations home in Poland, so the last five weeks were crazy," she said. "I didn't have time for training. But it was good. I could relax, physically, mentally and spend some time with my friends. It was nice."
- Former UFC light heavyweight champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua will return to Japan later this year, meeting Ovince Saint Preux at an expected UFC Fight Night card on September 23. The bout will take place from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama and be a rematch.
In the first meeting, Saint Preux scored a 34-second TKO vs. Rua in 2014. Since that time, Rua has won three in a row, while OSP has gone just 2-4.